East Jefferson Fire-Rescue board to expand from 3 to 5

Voters to decide in November on commissioner districts

PORT TOWNSEND — Voters approved the expansion of the Jefferson County Fire District 1 board of commissioners from three members to five, according to preliminary election results released by the county auditor’s office.

The fire district’s Proposition 1 was passing with a 68.9 percent margin, with 3,820 yes votes and 1,726 in opposition, according to the initial count of ballots Tuesday.

The proposition needed only a simple majority to pass.

“It’s wonderful to have that show of support from the voters in regard to the future direction of the fire board,” Chief Jim Walkowski said.

Voter turnout was reported as 31.3 percent with 5,566 ballots returned from 17,751 registered voters in the fire district, county Auditor Rose Ann Carroll reported.

The next count is scheduled to be released about 4 p.m. Friday. Election certification is expected Aug. 20.

The fire district, also known as East Jefferson Fire-Rescue, has had a three-phase plan this year, starting with annexation of the city of Port Townsend in February, Walkowski said.

Expansion of the board was the second step, a practice that is “fairly commonplace in Washington state,” Walkowski said.

The move guarantees two representatives from within the city, an avenue that previously existed only in a non-voting advisory capacity, he said.

The last time the board filled a vacancy was when it appointed David Seabrook after a commissioner resigned, Commission Chair Rich Stapf Jr. said.

“The board accepted letters of interest and reviewed those applications on their merits, and then they made the appointment accordingly,” Walkowski said.

The board will set its process during a meeting Aug. 21 to fill the two newly created seats.

In addition, the board plans public outreach before a general election proposition in November to ask for voter approval to create five separate commissioner districts.

If that proposition passes, commissioners would represent their individual district on the board. The current board has been elected at-large from within the entire district.

“We anticipate that our vote to go to commissioner districts would also be favorable,” Stapf said. “So far, the voters are pretty well consistent and on board with what we’re doing.”

Walkowski said a consultant has prepared a boundary map for the five districts based on equal representation in terms of population, gender, race and other factors.

Two of those districts would be within city limits, and two would be in unincorporated Jefferson County. The fifth would encompass an area that includes both the city and county, Stapf said.

“There’s a lot of technicality there and a lot of moving parts,” he said. “We’re just trying to follow state law and take it step by step.”

Once the board appoints two new members, an action that could take place in October or November, Stapf said, then different commissioners’ six-year terms would be up for election on a rolling two-year basis.

“This will be the last time we need to go to the voters for this whole process,” Stapf said. “But voters again will have an opportunity to vote on commissioners as they have in the past.”

________

Jefferson County Managing Editor Brian McLean can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 6, or at bmclean@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Special Olympian Deni Isett, center, holds a ceremonial torch with Clallam County Sheriff Brian King, right, accompanied by Lt. Jim Thompson of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal Police on a leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run on the Olympic Discovery Trail at Port Angeles City Pier. Tuesday’s segment of the run, conducted mostly by area law enforcement agencies, was organized to support Special Olympics Washington and was to culminate with a community celebration at 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Carrying the torch

Special Olympian Deni Isett, center, holds a ceremonial torch with Clallam County… Continue reading

Hopefuls for Olympic Medical Center board debate

Talk focuses on funds, partnership

An encapsulated engineered coupler used to repair a January leak. The leak occurred along a similar welded joint near to the current leak. (City of Port Townsend)
Port Townsend considers emergency repair for pipeline

Temporary fix needs longer-term solution, officials say

Traffic to be stopped for new bridge girders

Work crews for the state Department of Transportation will unload… Continue reading

The Peninsula Crisis Response Team responded with two armored vehicles on Tuesday when a 37-year-old Sequim man barricaded himself in a residence in the 200 block of Village Lane in Sequim. (Clallam County Sheriff’s Office)
Man barricaded with rifle arrested

Suspect had fired shots in direction of deputies, sheriff says

An interior view of the 12-passenger, all-electric hydrofoil ferry before it made a demonstration run on Port Townsend Bay on Saturday. Standing in the aisle is David Tyler, the co-founder and managing director of Artemis Technologies, the designer and builder of the carbon fiber boat. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Demonstration provides glimpse of potential for ferry service

Battery-powered hydrofoil could open water travel

Electronic edition of newspaper set for Thursday holiday

Peninsula Daily News will have an electronic edition only… Continue reading

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her mother, Rachel Shidler of Port Angeles, during Saturday’s Summertide celebration in Webster’s Woods sculpture park at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center. The event, which marks the beginning of the summer season, featured food, music, crafts and other activities for youths and adults. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Summertide festival

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her… Continue reading

Law enforcement agencies to participate in Torch Run

Clallam County law enforcement agencies will participate in the… Continue reading

Crews contain wildland fire near Fisher Cove Road

Crews from Clallam County Fire District 2 quickly contained… Continue reading

Crescent School senior Audrey Gales, right, looks at the homemade regalia worn by fellow senior Hayden Horn on Saturday. Gales had a handmade Native American cap ready for her graduation. Seventeen Crescent students graduated during traditional ceremonies in the school gym. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Crescent graduation

Crescent School senior Audrey Gales, right, looks at the homemade regalia worn… Continue reading

Pertussis cases see 25-fold increase statewide in 2024

The state Department of Health reported an increase in pertussis… Continue reading