Fire District Ends 2011 in the Black, Proceeds with Chief Search

Barbara Bedell sworn in as 2012 Chair

By Rick Markov

At the Jan. 10 Orcas Fire District meeting, District Financial Officer Rick Anda reported the year end result was that $1,492,031 was budgeted, and $1,429,459  was spent for a savings of approximately $62,000

• end of year tax revenue was 100.1% of budget resulting in an approximately $100,000 more in revenue than expected.
• some year-end line expenditures cost more than budgeted, and others came in less than budgeted.
• those tax revenue funds and budget saving not spent will go to the County general fund, and can be requested in the future by Fire District #2 as needed.

Chief Search
Commissioner Barbara Bedell reported that the chief search committee has met three times. The District Fire Chief position was advertised locally and nationally and closed on January 6.

The committee is now in the process of evaluating the applications. Bedell said that any other comments on the chief search would be premature at this time, and in approximately ten days additional information will be made regarding the search.

Deer Harbor Fire Station (24)
The cost of the total construction project is expected to come in under budget; however the water source and transport will cost more than expected and budgeted, as reported in the November minutes.

It was noted that the local deer population of Deer Harbor is finding some of the landscape plantings much to their liking and have been feasting on some of the flora.

2012-2017 Strategic Plan
The Commissioners discussed how to go about the approval process for the five-year strategic plan. It was suggested that the proposed draft be presented to the Department members for review before it is presented to the public as a draft.

Public Comment
A draft procedure document to better receive public comment was merged from existing documents and from comments made to the Commissioners during regular meetings. In discussing approval of a drafted document, it was suggested and agreed that the draft be presented and discussed at the next Commissioners meeting.

County Fire Commissioners sub committee meeting
Orcas Fire District Commissioner Jim Coffin will attend the next County Chiefs meeting if representative of each of the other district commissioners can attend that same meeting date.  The subcommittee would separately meet with the county district fire chiefs. County fire district commissioners would discuss topics of mutual interest, rather than an all-Commissioners meeting.

Near the end of the public meeting, Barbara Bedell was sworn in as the Chair of the Commissioners for 2012.

The public meeting was adjourned, but the Commissioners then met in closed session to discuss two topics including medical information and employee performance.