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Council members urge scrutiny of North County Regional Fire hiring process; report Olympia outreach and funding prospects
Summary
Councilmembers who attended a recent fire commission meeting and a trip to Olympia reported concerns that the fire commission is not honoring a prior agreement about naming a successor and described plans for the commission's hiring process; they also reported progress seeking state funding for local projects.
Several Arlington City Council members who attended a recent North County Regional Fire Authority (RFA) meeting told the council they perceived the fire commission was not honoring a previously agreed succession plan and that the commission plans to conduct a search to hire a new chief.
Deborah Nelson, a councilmember, asked colleagues who attended the RFA meeting to report back. Heather Logan said the council delegation—Don, Michelle Blythe and Logan—delivered similar themes: that an agreement was in place and that the commission should honor it. “There’s an agreement in place and why aren’t you honoring it,” Logan said about the message delivered at the RFA meeting. She said the commission indicated it would proceed with a search, though she was unsure whether it would be national or regional, and that the commission had a public meeting scheduled the next day.
Michelle Blythe described being disappointed by the commission chair’s response to a union leader and called the behavior unprofessional. She said the delegation’s message emphasized a prior promise to Arlington that Chief Kraske would be named successor upon Chief Cermak’s retirement; participants at the RFA meeting spoke in support of Kraske. Blythe said she believed some jurisdictions had recently hired without conducting a public search or interview process.
Don (identified in the meeting as an attendee) said a 05/11/2020 document exists that he and others read as clear that Cermak’s successor would be Kraske; he said the document was explicit about the succession arrangement. Heather Logan and others said the commission may determine whether to allow public comment at its next meeting.
Council members also reported on a recent trip to Olympia to meet legislators about local priorities, including funding for the Highway 531 final phase and sprinkler funding for a Boys & Girls Club project. Council members said Representative Paul (first name not specified in the meeting) agreed to sponsor funding for sprinkler work at the Boys & Girls Club and that Clyde Shavers would co-sponsor the funding; they reported generally positive receptions from the legislators they met.
Councilmembers encouraged residents to watch the RFA meeting recording online; one councilmember noted the video had about 1,800 views. No formal council action on the RFA matter was recorded at the meeting; the council discussion was a report-back and did not direct staff to take formal action during the session.
