To the editor:

I question your journalistic integrity in regard to your reporting of anything about the Mehlville Fire Protection District or its Board of Directors.

It started four years ago when the fire district sent out a quarterly report, which, in reality, was nothing more than a campaign flier for then-candidate Bonnie Stegman.

The candidate was the only board member discussed in the flier. Since that election, there has been no follow-up quarterly report in any year.

Two years ago, the district paid the Call to publish a newsletter that did nothing but talk about then-candidate Aaron Hilmer. While the newsletter was cleverly worded as not to be a campaign piece, anyone could see the only board member discussed was candidate Hilmer — like the old saying, “If it quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck.”

Fire district residents only get annual or quarterly reports when one of the board members is up for re-election.

Now your recent articles in regard to the coming fire board election have been slanted for the fire board incumbent. The Call should be questioning the motives of Hilmer spending fire district money for frivolous lawsuits. The reality is that Hilmer only won the last election by 213 votes out of over 15,000 cast, and has an ax to bring with candidate Mike Klund.

Is the Call going to take a standing against Hilmer and his puppets when they spend more district money for board members’ campaigns or is the paper going to show some journalistic integrity and do some unbiased reporting and investigating?

Bob R. Ford

Oakville