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Commissioners continue public hearing after heated testimony over South Mason Fire District withdrawal request
Summary
After more than an hour of testimony from Squaxin Island tribal members, residents and fire-district representatives, Mason County commissioners voted to continue the public hearing on South Mason Fire & Rescue’s request to withdraw tribal territory to May 12 to allow further negotiations and legal review.
Mason County commissioners on Tuesday continued a contentious public hearing on South Mason Fire & Rescue’s request to withdraw Squaxin Island tribal territory, agreeing to reconvene at 09:15 a.m. on May 12 to allow more negotiation and legal review.
Tribal members, elders and local residents told the commission that the district’s emergency responders save lives and that withdrawal would harm communities served by District 4. “This is really a matter of life and death,” said Vicky Krueger, who identified herself as a Squaxin Island tribal elder. Joshua Whitener, tribal council treasurer, said the tribe and district were close to signing a memorandum of understanding over fees and argued that withdrawing territory now would…
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