Editors note: This version has been edited to clarify Warren Appleton’s experience with fire departments.

With the pending retirement of Chief Norvin Collins, San Juan County Fire Department #2 will be undergoing change including financial adjustments, an interim commissioner hired, and working toward increasing the volunteer base.

“We are not in financial trouble,” Colley said, explaining that in fact the department currently has been coming in under budget. “Looking forward, however [the current budget] isn’t sustainable. Significant changes need to be made, some are in the planning stages even now.”

According to Colley, they are tightening spending, for example, and selling two trucks that they no longer need. Colley would like to see input from the public about what they want their department to look like, and what services they want offered.

“We don’t believe we are going to be able to offer all the services we offer now. I’d like to cut as little as possible, to maintain as much as possible,” Colley said, adding that the public needs to weigh in, as it is the community’s Fire and Rescue.

Maureen See, whose husband Harry See is a volunteer lieutenant and has been involved in the department for 26 years, was considering applying for the Commission vacancy left by Albert Olsen. After attending several meetings she told the Journal she learned of some serious issues. Revenue and expenses are way out of line, a shortage of volunteers, and the emerging development of an EMS unit within fire pose major problems for the department, Maureen stated, adding that she met with all Commissioners and they appeared to be aware of the situation but were unwilling to fix it. She also discovered “an irresponsible contract written by the Chief” signed in December 2021 that made oversight by the Fire Commissioners impossible. By Maureen’s account, the “lack of leadership and failure to uphold their oath of office made it obvious that the problems were much more serious than I thought. I concluded that I should not run for office but try and address the issues from my role as a citizen voter. The Chair of the Fire Commission and the Chief forged a friendship that creates a real conflict of interest for an elected official. Both men paint the situation as ‘everything is just fine’ but that is simply not the case.”

Maureen read a letter to the Commissioners at their regular April meeting stating her above concerns.

In response to criticism to the contract, Collins said his first contract was for five years, but the Commissioners were later advised by attorneys that it really should only be one and a half to two years, to match the Commissioner’s terms. He also stated it’s performance-based and transparent. The contract was amended again, May 25 during an executive session to reflect his retirement, according to the Commissioners.

Colley told the Journal that paid staff and EMS trainings have stressed finances, along with inflation.

Under prior leadership SJI Fire and Rescue were responding to medical situations without a Basic Life Support (BLS) aide license which is actually negligence, Collins explained.

“If we arrive to an injury before SJIEMS arrives, and something goes wrong where the firefighter/EMTs are providing medical care, without property certification, we could get sued,” Collins said, pointing out that today’s society is a highly litigious one.

The aide license is not overly expensive and it is necessary to keep the department from any liability, he continued, saying just because there has yet to be an issue, doesn’t mean it won’t, and that is a risk he isn’t willing to take.

“I wasn’t intending to duplicate things,” Collins said, however, fire and rescue responders need to provide that level of care legally.

However, Collins agrees, the financial future isn’t as bright.

Inflation is one major impact, levy caps are another. In the past, departments could ask for an increase in funding through levies, during challenging high-interest economies.

Prior to Tim Eyeman’s 2001 levy initiative, according to Collins, fire departments could ask up to six percent. Eyeman’s initiative capped the levy at one percent. Legislation in the works could lift that cap up to three percent. What that means, Collins explained, is that if there is a 15 percent living increase, the department can only use one percent to close that cap.

“If you look at history, three percent will be closer to what reflects inflation and what fire departments need,” Collins said. Orcas Fire and Rescue is facing the same taxing limitations.

According to Commission President Frank Cardinellie, they have held off requesting a levy because currently, they are still ahead of the game, able to pay bills on time and have a cushion, and they are cognizant that community members are hurting financially due to inflation.

“There isn’t a concern this year or next year, we are not in dire straits,” Cardinellie reiterated, however, the financial cushion is shrinking.

During a special meeting Wednesday, May 25, the commission appointed Jerry Henderson to fill in the position vacated by Albert Olsen. The other two applicants included Rebecca Smith and Warren Appleton, both who had served as Hospital District 1 commissioners.

Each gave brief statements to the commissioners and the public before the commissioners went into executive session.

Smith stated that besides acting as a SJCPH commissioner, she has previous experience as a volunteer firefighter as well as corporate experience. “I want to help the Commission understand their role and finalize a budget,” she said.

Henderson’s son works for the department, and he himself has 15 years experience as a firefighter, system trainer and manager in volunteer issues and has previously been involved in the SJI department. “I know these guys, I know true service,” he said, adding that he helped select Chief Marler.

Appleton joked that he may be the outlier in the room not having past experience with this particular fire department. He has. however, worked for two fire departments; one in Detroit, Michigan and Redmond, Washington. As an Emergency Physician in Washington for over 40 years, he added, he has also worked side by side with multiple fire departments not only as a practitioner but has an instructor and evaluator.

The two commissioners had no specific questions for the applicants, so they entered into two executive sessions, one to discuss the candidates, the other employee contracts.

Cardinelli and Colley both stated they had previously worked with Appleton and Smith and had all three candidates’ resumes which were why they did not have individual questions.

Appleton and Henderson are both running to fill the permanent position left by Olsen. The public will have the opportunity to vote on that race in November’s general election.

According to Harry, 80 percent of the nation’s fire departments are volunteer-based, as most rural counties do not have funding for a fully staffed department.

“Volunteers are an amazing group of people, They are the heart of the department,” Harry said. “They do it for personal growth and community.”

The See’s respect the volunteers so much, they began a hardship fund years ago to assist any volunteer firefighter with medical, housing, or other hardships. Each year the $10,000 fund is replenished, according to Harry, and they never ask what the money goes toward, the fund is anonymous.

“The volunteers are strong dedicated members of the community that care about what they are doing,” Harry said.

Currently, the department has 17 battle-ready volunteers.

“We have some incredibly dedicated volunteers,” Collins said. “We are so much richer for them.”

“That is not enough for a structured fire. We need about 26,” Colley said. Part of the reason outside agencies, like Orcas, Lopez and Skagit were needed to assist in responding to the Spring Street fire in Friday Harbor April 2022, was due to low volunteer numbers, according to Colley.

According to Harry, a number of volunteers quit after a flat rate payment was imposed rather than per response. Harry explained that the system was being abused and needed to change. People would sign in for a call, but due to the response rate or nature of the call they would not actually respond, yet still collect a check. Rather than move to a flat rate for everyone, Harry suggested creative options could have been used to tackle the issue while still supporting volunteers who depend on the funds. “All suggestions given to the Chief were ignored and deemed unnecessary,” Harry said.

Collins responded that he wasn’t opposed to other ideas, but that the issue was also about the legalities of being paid by the hour.

“You can’t have an hourly rate because that could be construed as a paid position, which legally means they are an employee,” Collins explained. If they are employees, they would be entitled to benefits and should be taxed. The fixed-rate, he said ties up that hourly payment liability.

Harry is one of four who signed a Statement of Concern to the commissioners giving a Vote of No Confidence to Chief Collins.

“I don’t want this, but I feel compelled, out of appreciation for what the department has done, the volunteers have done, to take up the fight,” Harry said, adding that the commission did not respond.

“They have had multiple chances to look at what’s happening to the department, to talk to people, and they have not. I spoke with Chair Cardinale directly who told me they did not need to see staff as they had already made their decision.”

According to Cardinelli, both the Commission and Collins have talked to department members and found only a small group that voiced complaints.

According to Harry, however, the issues run deep, and they are shielding those volunteers and staff members with concerns and complaints.

“As an officer, our answer to volunteers is there are some issues, but we are dealing with it. As an officer, that’s our job,” Harry said.

Collins has set a retirement date for Nov. 3, and Colley and Cardinelli have indicated that Assistant Chief Noel Monin will serve as interim Chief.

“I hope the public tunes into what’s happening,” Maureen said.”This is an important time for them to weigh in.”