QUILCENE — Paperwork for the recall of two Quilcene Fire Department commissioners was filed Thursday after the two did not resign.
A group of citizens threw down the gauntlet Wednesday night and said that if fire Commissioners Mike Whittaker and Dave Ward did not submit their resignations by noon Thursday, the group would file the paperwork to recall the two men from their positions.
Whittaker and Ward did not resign by the appointed time.
The petition was submitted to the Jefferson County Auditor’s Office at 2:45 p.m., delayed slightly because Port Townsend attorney Peggy Ann Bierbaum, a Quilcene resident who prepared and submitted the document, was serving as a substitute District Court judge.
Neither Whittaker nor Ward returned phone calls requesting comment.
The recall document will first go to the Jefferson County prosecuting attorney. It must be ruled on by a District Court judge before petitions can be prepared.
An election could occur between 30 and 45 days after the petition is received.
The fire department has been troubled by allegations of improper conduct by Whittaker and Ward over the board’s creating an $800-a-month job for Ward in January 2010.
Chief Bob Low, who had replaced the late Bob Wilson as chief in February 2010, submitted his resignation June 23, saying he could no longer work with Whittaker and Ward.
About 50 people attended a special meeting Wednesday night to accept Low’s resignation and plan future department strategy.
The board named Assistant Chief Bob Moser the interim chief and made plans to begin the selection of a permanent chief July 11.
An hour of public comment began with former Commissioner Bob Rosen calling on the two to resign or face a recall attempt.
All but three speakers supported that action.
“I would hate to see the rug pulled out from under a really decent, hard-working community because a few people elected to leadership positions . . . maintain their hold on power that seems to have had a corrupting effect,” said Linda Herzog, who has led the Quilcene Conversations community meetings.
“Losing Chief Low is a tremendous and perhaps permanent blow to the confidence of this department and to the community,” said Cathy Barsakoff.
“Accepting his resignation will significantly undermine the already shaky confidence of your volunteers and will forever remain a blight in the record of the commissioners of this department.”
Rick Olson said he was “ashamed” of those who would file a recall.
“You come and say that you don’t want to tear the community apart, and yet you bring in an attorney that will tear it apart even farther.”
“You two, don’t let them do it to you. Make them fight you to the last stinking second,” he said to Ward and Whittaker.
Also speaking against it was Lorna Ward, Dave Ward’s mother, who said her son “has never taken advantage of anyone or taken anything . . .”
The final comment opposing the recall was from Wilson’s widow, Veda Wilson.
“I’m not in detail about this, and it sounds like mistakes were made,” she said.
“But to crucify these guys, I find offensive, for the years of service” they had given, she said.
Low made the last public comment.
“This department will not disappear when I’m not here,” said Low, whose last day on the job will be July 14.
“The commissioners and I differ about the direction of the department. In order for this to change, someone has to do something, and I chose to [leave],” he said.
During the meeting, Low said he would stay if Ward and Whittaker stepped down but after the meeting amended that to only Whittaker.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.