Deadline Set to Apply for Vacant Woodinville Fire & Rescue Commission Seat

Woodinville Fire & Rescue commissioners voted Tuesday to move ahead quickly in the search for a replacement for Commissioner Randy Ransom, who over health issues.

The board of commissioners has until Sept. 3 to appoint someone to fill the rest of Ransom’s term, which runs until 2013, or else King County will make the decision.

Commissioner Kevin Coughlin said he wanted the process to be public and to engage the community more.

“There’s no reason for us not to be as transparent as possible," he said at the board’s regular meeting Tuesday night at Station 31.

The commissioners and fire district leadership have clashed with the firefighters union and some community members over various issues lately, including administrative staffing in the department and the handling of the recent loss of a station and personnel to Kirkland through annexation. (Click for previous coverage.)

Coughlin and Commissioners Tim Osgood and Bob Miller voted to put out ads seeking candidates, with an application deadline of July 29. Interviews would be held at a regular public meeting Aug. 1, with the goal of choosing someone that day or at the next meeting, Aug. 15. Commissioner Clint Olson was on vacation Tuesday and did not vote.

Board Chairman Osgood said after the meeting that he expects quite a bit of interest in the position.

Benefits fund separated

Also Tuesday, commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to separate the benefits liability reserve fund from its operating fund, prompted by the June 1 Kirkland annexation of Kingsgate.

“It’s been suggested we separate our benefits liabilities into a separate fund, so we know what we owe,” Fire Chief I. David Daniels told commissioners. “Currently those funds are commingled with our operating fund. It seems to be good business and make good sense to have this occur.” Daniels said the change doesn’t affect the district’s bottom line, just where the funds are located.

Coughlin noted the significance of the action, saying it specifically identifies the money so the district can show it can cover its liabilities.

Miller agreed. “If (the money is) commingled, it looks like it’s fair game for anything and it’s not, so we have to get it separated,” he said.