— by Susan McBain, Orcas Issues reporter —
At an October 1 special meeting of the Board of Fire Commissioners, the four commissioners attending—Tim Fuller, Jim Helminski, Amanda Montague and chair Wes Heinmiller (by phone)—expressed their regret at the resignation of long-time Commissioner Barbara Bedell. They noted she had been “a voice of reason,” “a smart lady,” “wonderfully gracious with her time,” and “full of kindness and warmth,” and that she “will be dearly missed.”
Barbara began her service on the BOFC in 2009 and was re-elected twice. She served as Chair for much of that time. “I loved my experience working with the department,” she says. “Highlights for me were the opening of the Deer Harbor fire station and the selection of Scott Williams as Fire Chief. We also were able to implement a cost-recovery program that was very helpful to the District’s finances, and we did a lot of strategic planning.” She has served on several other local boards as well, including the Orcas Medical Center, Orcas Center, and Friends of the Library.
The commissioners also discussed the process of determining Barbara’s successor. They have 90 days to fill the vacancy. They expect to follow the process they have used in the past: advertise the opening in local media, invite resumés from those interested, invite candidates to a Board meeting for introductions, and then conduct interviews. Whoever they select will fill the position until the next general election in November 2019; to continue beyond then, the person will need to run for re-election for the remainder of the term, through November 2023.
