QUILCENE — The search for a new Quilcene fire chief will kick into high gear Dec. 1, when seven applicants for the job will be interviewed in an all-day session.
The new chief will replace Bob Low, who resigned in June after saying he could no longer work with two of the three fire commissioners, Mike Whittaker and Dave Ward.
Low was named assistant chief of support services for East Jefferson Fire-Rescue in July, and a recall action, now in progress, was instituted against Whittaker and Ward over the board’s creating an $800-a-month job for Ward in January 2010.
The schedule for the interviews of chief candidates was determined at a fire commissioners meeting last Monday.
Commissioner Debbie Randall said Tuesday that the seven candidates — five from Washington state and one each from Idaho and California — will spend one hour each in a private interview with the three commissioners.
Following this, each candidate will have the opportunity to meet members of the public and fire department volunteers to get acquainted with the community.
No details of these meetings have been announced.
The candidates also will be asked if they want to participate in a “windshield survey,” which would involve a short tour of the district along with one of the volunteers or community members.
“This will give them the opportunity to get acquainted with the district and allow them to ask any questions they might have,” Randall said.
Participation in the public activities is voluntary, and any candidate wishing to maintain privacy will not be required to do so, Randall said.
One applicant for the position is Robert “Mo” Moser, who has been serving as interim chief since Low’s resignation.
The longtime deputy chief also served as interim chief during the months between Low’s hiring and the death of the previous chief, Bob Wilson.
Moser, who did not apply for the open chief’s position in 2009 for health reasons, said Tuesday that he didn’t expect to be a permanent chief.
“If they don’t see anyone who’s really good chief material, they can bring me in for another year or two until things straighten out and this black cloud over the district lifts,” said Moser, who then joked, “I just applied to confuse things.”
The next step in the recall proceeding is a hearing at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 16 in front of Kitsap Superior Court Judge Anna Laurie in Port Orchard.
Jefferson County Court Commissioner Keith Harper on Aug. 18 ruled that the assertions in the recall petition — that the two commissioners had acted improperly and falsified records — could go ahead.
The two commissioners sought an opinion from an elected judge, and the case was moved to Kitsap County, where Laurie struck down all but one count of the complaint on Oct. 25.
Laurie ruled that the remaining count — that the commissioners participated in the falsification of records — was enough to allow the recall to proceed.
The Dec. 16 hearing will determine whether the commissioners will appeal the decision to proceed or whether the plaintiffs will begin the signature-gathering process.
A call to Whittaker and Ward’s attorney, James Hanken, was not returned Tuesday.
The identity of the third commissioner is undetermined as Randall is currently six votes behind her challenger, Herb Beck, in an election that will be certified Nov. 29.
Since the replacement of any recalled commissioners will take place after Jan. 1, the winner of that race will participate in that process.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
