So here's where we're at with Chief Koval's legal fees, now at a whopping $22,000. As a refresher, the chief had to spend his own money on attorney fees to defend himself against ludicrous charges leveled against him by Sharon Irwin & Shadayra Kilroy-Flores. Again, both Steve & I were at the council meeting on the evening in question. What we saw was a police chief acting in full control, a consummate & caring professional - and we testified as much, under oath, at the Police & Fire Commission (PFC) hearing last November. Here's a tidy recap of said events: https://davidblaska.com/2017/03/14/chief-mike-koval-was-just-fined-13000/ The PFC did not discipline the chief, but he's still on the hook for his legal fees. Last evening at the Common Council meeting, Alder Paul Skidmore introduced a request for reimbursement of the chief's legal fees. The request was formally referred to the Board of Estimates meeting, to be held on March 27. After that, the recommendation will go to the Council, where it will require 15 votes to approve. I'm trying to find out if we can and should attend, and will keep you updated. In the meantime, I need you to do the following: 1. Write to the city of Madison alders. Tell them that as a taxpayer, you demand that they reimburse Chief Koval his legal fees. If they give you lip, remind them of the emergency fund money they're wasting on a "study" of a renowned police department, and of the $3.3.5 million dollars handed over to the family of someone who assaulted a police officer. Tell them how much you value Chief Koval and remind them of all he does for this city. Here's the contact page link: http://www.cityofmadison.com/council/contact/ 2. Write a letter to The Wisconsin State Journal and / or Capital Times, expressing your thoughts on why the city should reimburse the chief's fees. If you want to make a difference, *this* is how you do it. Letting off steam on Facebook will just not cut it. I'm absolutely outraged. Here we have the city's best leader. One of the finest human being Steve & I have *ever* known. Ever. Yet he gets treated like dirt. I'm sick of watching it. There is a war on against Madison PD and Chief Koval. And we don't believe it will end here. But don't you worry, we will be here, guarding the guardians. All the best. --Paula Fitzsimmons