The first regular Fire Commissioner meeting was held June 5, 2024 at 6pm. The meeting opened with a reading of RCW 42.30.010- “The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed and informing the people’s public servants of their views so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created. For these reasons, even when not required by law, public agencies are encouraged to incorporate and accept public comment during their decision-making process.”
The first order of business was the Chiefs report. Chief Mike Brown stated that asbestos testing had been finished and was awaiting possible results by Friday, June 7, 2024. The re-keying of vehicles, and the mailbox had also been done, as the previous administration had retained all keys, preventing access to safety equipment and communications. Chief Mike Brown also stated that all electronics within the Fire Station had been removed by the previous administration. This included department radios, flashlights, computers and even the phone plugged into the wall. Law enforcement has been informed of these actions, to be included within their ongoing investigation. Along with the Emergency Responders from the community, West Mason Fire is the first toned agency responding to any calls within Fire District 12, providing a massive service to our community. Finally Chief Mike Brown stated that he has been in contact with insurance companies in efforts to retain District coverage.
The first motion carried from the board was to authorize Chief Mike Brown to sign a contract with MasonWebTV for videography and sound system services for MCFD 12. Next, a motion was adopted to pay a stipend to commissioners for only 1 meeting per month, waiving any additional stipend accrued from additional meetings.
The new Commission has placed accountability and transparency as apriority going forward, passing a resolution requiring 4 signatures. It will be required for 2 Commissioners, an administrator and the Fire Chief to sign all voucher requests from the County. Finally a motion was passed to allow the former legal council to forward all legal records for MCFD 12 to the newly retained council Eric Quinn.
The meeting closed with a new agenda item, Good of the Order. This is a time during a meeting where people can share announcements, comments, and suggestions that do not need immediate action. Community welfare will be a primary focus for our commissioners.
