QUILCENE — A special meeting to determine the future of the Quilcene Fire Department after the resignation of Chief Robert Low will take place tonight.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Bob Wilson Station, 70 Herbert St., Quilcene.
Items on the agenda are to accept Low’s resignation, determine what the district will do for the short term and develop a plan to hire a permanent chief.
An executive session may or may not be called, according to the published agenda.
Low announced his resignation June 22 after 17 months on the job, saying it was motivated by poor leadership on the part of board members David Ward and Mike Whittaker.
Low’s last day on the job will be Thursday, July 14, after which he will take a week of earned vacation, he said.
Low was hired to replace Chief Bob Wilson, who died of cancer in April 2009 after having led Quilcene Fire District No. 2 since 1992.
The Quilcene Fire Department’s headquarters were dedicated in Wilson’s name in August.
Criticism of the board began after the Jan. 11, 2010, commissioner meeting, when the commissioners hired Ward as chief operating officer to examine and interpret computerized records left behind by Wilson.
The commissioners, including Whittaker and the late Julie McLanahan, approved an $800 monthly salary for Ward that he collected through the summer.
McLanahan resigned for health reasons and was replaced by Bob Rosen, who in turn resigned after four months.
Rosen was replaced by Debbie Randall, who is on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election and is opposed by former Port of Port Townsend Commissioner Herb Beck.
A report from the state auditor dated March 22 concluded the fire commissioners did not prepare a job description or a contract for the position and did not address deliverables, time sheet documentation or determine who would have oversight responsibilities.
“Because he did not document the number of hours he worked as COO, it is unknown whether he worked the reported 92 hours per month to receive the retirement service credit he earned during his eight months on the job,” the report said.
Assistant Attorney General Tim Ford also sent a letter to the district, saying “under RCW 42.23.030 . . . a fire commissioner couldn’t vote to approve a contract where he will be the COO for the district.”
Last summer, a petition signed by 15 volunteer firefighters, representing about half the department’s staff, called for the resignations of Ward and Whittaker.
It was refused.
After Low’s resignation, Rosen said the situation “stinks” and said he “would do anything possible” to correct the situation.
On Tuesday afternoon, Rosen would not disclose any plans he had for tonight’s meeting.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
