Notice: Undefined index: HTTP_REFERER in /home/stparch/public_html/headmid_temp_main.php on line 4394
Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
September 2, 1999     Shelton Mason County Journal
PAGE 31     (31 of 36 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
 
PAGE 31     (31 of 36 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
September 2, 1999
 
Newspaper Archive of Shelton Mason County Journal produced by SmallTownPapers, Inc.
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information
Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader




Bd6a00 g Belfair - Allyn - Grapeview - Tahuya - Mason Lake - South Shore - Victor ..uursday, september 2, 1999 Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal Mason High School Mark Flatau has an- that the 1999-2000 begin on Wednes- with arena reg- grades 10 through Were registered last received their class the freshmen orien- earlier this week. la registration for take place in the gYm on September 8. students will have pictures taken, re- assignments, pay and purchase ASB annuals. is an estimated time registration. Students begins next week should plan to be on campus and be ready to register at least 15 minutes prior to their scheduled time slot. It should be noted that stu- dents who had perfect attendance for the 1998-99 school year quali- fy to register with the first group of their respective grade level. Seniors: P-Z: 7:45-7:55 a.m. A-D: 7:55-8:05 a.m. E-H: 8:05-8:20 a.m. I-O: 8:20-8:35 a.m. Juniors: G-L: 8:40-8:55 a.m. M-R: 8:55-9:15 a.m. S-Z: 9:15-9:40 a.m. A-F: 9:35-10:10 a.m. Sophomores: A-D: 11:10-11:35 a.m. E-J: 11:35-12 noon K-Q: Noon-12:35 p.m. R-Z: 12:35-1:10 p.m. If a student is unable to attend arena registration, a relative or friend may register for him or her during their appointed time. A completed and signed "Enrollment and Contact Authori- zation form" and a "Clear Fine Record" are the students' tickets to their registration time. Stu- dents who do not have completed, signed emergency cards or who have outstanding fines will reg- ister at 1:40 p.m., after all other students are registered. Last registration will take place from 1:40 to 2:10 p.m. Any question regarding this in- formation may be directed to the high school by calling 275-2811. School break-ins Sheriff's Detective T.R. looks at one of the doors at Bel- ry School, where a rob- early last week. Sand Hill and Hawkins Middle School so struck. Several new com- puters and other items were stolen. New leads were coming in from the public, but at press time, no arrests had been made. Any information on the crimes should be given to Detective Bill Hunt at Extension 313, 275-4467 or 427-9670. cians make the rounds federal and state se- of our a number of North on Tuesday, U.S. Congressman D-Belfair, and State Senator Tim :h, made a in the Belfair Week. Dicks was in School District With the administra- .Boys and Girls Club, of Saan" honorary board =u lunch with the Kiwanis Club, and time with the Hood linen Enhancement Sheldon had met the with SOme of the the North Mason merce. On Tues- at lunch for of the day, which the area, new home, and demonstration enhancement officials ad- of issues of con- tn the North Mason lelfair and Hood Ca- nal," shared Dicks, a new resident of the South Shore. "I've spent time here every year of my life. As a kid in Bremerton, I spent time in the evenings at Twanoh State Park. There would be thou- sands of people there every sum- mer day then. We used to water ski off that point." His parents still live in Brem- erton, and he spends a lot of time there, too. He had given consider- ation to leaving his voter registra- tion in Bremerton, but it has been transferred to Mason County now. "Under the state constitu- tion, you just have to be a resi- dent of the state," he said. "But I was advised that it would be bet- ter to register where I was, in fact, living." And so he has, and gladly so, he indicated. Dicks has been pleased to be associated with the B&G Club of Mason County. He wanted to give that organization a big pat on the back for doing so many great things for kids in this community. "Over 500 kids in North Mason, and over 300 in Shelton have been served," he said, sharing the hope those numbers would go up significantly. STATISTICALLY, it has been shown over and over that offering these types of wholesome activi- ties to youth will effectively re- duce the number dealt with by the criminal justice system, Dicks "al filing set on the Fire Dis- board of corn- the focus of a period. John effective the has sought an appointment to auditor's was time to le general a ape- opened and 7. Since Opportu: for a primary, regardless of the num- ber of candidates, the one receiv- ing the most votes will be de- clared the winner. Interested people may also con- tact Fire Chief Mike Uglow at (360) 275-3578, or Secretary Patti Graeber at (360) 275-3919. Com- mission meetings are the second Thursday of each month. The two remaining commissioners may still choose to appoint someone to fill the vacancy for the period pri- or to the election date, Tuesday, November 2. shared. Therefore, $60,000 in fed- eral juvenile crime prevention money helped start up the local B&G, and he is seeking future funding from the Bureau of Jus- tice, as well. Regarding Native Americans having been granted the right, by old treaties recently interpreted by the courts, to enter private beaches to take shellfish, Dicks would prefer to see a federal trust fund set up for the purchase of land from which to gather shell- fish. In the meantime, he has con- tinued to urge Native Americans to work cooperatively with non- commercial private landowners. Dicks addressed the changes that have occurred at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, recogniz- ing that many residents of North Mason are employed by the feder- al government there. He shared that the work force has dropped from a recent high of about 13,000 down to about 8,000 now, and he expects it will drop a bit more before stabilizing. He looks forward to seeing both PSNS and Bangor work on the Trident conversion from the cur- rent C-4 to more sophisticated D- 5 missiles. "The number of Tri- dent subs will be reduced from 18 to 14," he said, with half to be homeported on each coast. He also indicated that the remaining four would not be destroyed, but converted to non-nuclear use. DICKS BELIEVES the U.S. must remain militarily strong, with the current China threat, and any future threats to the safety of this nation. He sees the military as a definite deterrent to war. The congressman addressed concerns about the safety of chil- dren in schools, day cares and other gathering places for kids, in light of some of the tragedies in our nation in the past year. Keeping guns out of the hands of would-be shooters was his main concern. "The cooperation of par- ents is required in monitoring their own children," he said. "We turn to' Four vie for FD2 commission Ralph Herth Marcia Hamilton Jim LeBlanc (The Herald is sharing infor- mation on ballot items for the primary election. This week, Fire District 2 commissioner position 3 candidates are featured. Last week, Fire District 5 commission- er Position 1 candidates and FD5 levy were covered. Next week, the Port of Dewatto director District 1 candidates will be included.) Four candidates filed for Fire District 2 (Belfair) commissioner position 3. They are, in the order they will appear on the ballot (which was determined by lot), Kathryn J. Klusman, Jim Le- Blanc, Ralph Herth and Marcia Hamilton. They are seeking a six- year term. Ballots for the position have been mailed to 4,832 voters in FD2. The election will take place entirely by mail, and ballots must be postmarked no later than Tuesday, September 14. The top two candidates will appear on the general election ballot in Novem- ber. The Mason County Auditor has an on-line voter guide at http://audit or.co.mason.wa.us, which also includes candidate statements. The position is being vacated by retiring commissioner Harry Davis, who has served for 20 years. Kathryn J. Klusman, 40, is the owner of Canal Coffee Compa- ny in Belfair. She lives in the Riv- erhill neighborhood, and has three sons: Shannon, 21, who re- cently married; Kristopher, 18, who is attending college; and Leife, 14, who attends North Ma- son High School. Jim LeBlanc, 53, is a field service representative with Inter- lott Tech of Cincinnati, Ohio. He and his wife Jo Anna live on Chi- nook Drive. Margaret Ibele of Bel- fair is his mother. Ralph Herth, 57, is retired from the Seattle Fire Depart- ment. He and his wife Sharon live on Haven Lake, have four grown daughters and eight grandchil- dren. Marcia Hamilton, 56, is proj- ect director for the Jammin' Com- pany of the Boys and Girls Club of Mason County. She and her husband Denny, an international training consultant, live on Tiger Lake. She has three adult chil- dren, Mundi, 30, Dan, 25, and Elizabeth, 20. Her mother, Euge- nia Woolman, is an artist, and her brother is a journalist. Questions asked by The Herald are followed by the answers of each candidate. What motivated you to run for FD2 commissioner at this time? Klusman: I felt that the de- partment could use my experi- ence as a volunteer to meet the upcoming challenges it will face in the next six years. LeBlanc: I would like to plan for future involvement in fire ser- vice. Within two years I will have 25 years of volunteer fire service. Like all athletes, I must plan for when I can no longer physically meet the challenges of the game. Herth: I enjoyed being a com- missioner with Fire District 15 before the merger with FD2. There was an opening for a new commissioner now with FD2, and being recently retired, I can now give more time to the administra- tive side of the department. Hamilton: I want to serve my community not as a firefighter, but by bringing my experience in planning, budgeting and policy setting to this vital community service organization. What goals do you personally have for FD2, and how do these align with the goals of the dis- trict? Klusman: I want to get back to the basics. FD2 was built on the strength of its volunteers: Neighbors helping neighbors. Now, with family and job commit- ments, volunteering is very diffi- cult to do. I wish to assist the de- partment in rebuilding our volun- teer base. Through that effort, we can control costs. LeBlanc: My goals include the master plan and mission state- ment, more community support, increased interest in fire and EMS service, recruitment and re- tention of personnel. How do they align? I would hope in a straight line. FD2 will need to be on the lookout for more opportunities to serve the public. Communities are holding elected officials ac- countable for their actions and productivity. A fire department that cannot and will not meet ad- ditional needs of their customers/public that fit with the mission statement will be re- placed by commercial operations. The continued existence of the fire service as we know it will hinge on the organization's ability to meet wants, needs and expec- tations of their customers/public. Herth: My goal is to best serve the community within the budget that the community can support. Hamilton: My goal for the fire district is to assure that the fire district plans will safeguard and conserve our limited budget dol- lars. Careful planning assures our community receives the high- est possible level of fire and emer- gency medical service. What strengths do you see in FD2? Klusman: FD2 is on the cut- ting edge of education and pre- vention. We have an outstanding group of dedicated individuals who give of their time to educate our citizens on many aspects of safety and prevention. FD2 cares. LeBlanc: Some will say the strengths are in its equipment, facilities, or its position in the community. From my view, it is the people: career staff, volunteer staff and support personnel. Peo- ple! People! People! Herth: The strengths of FD2 are strong leadership through the paid personnel of the department, and dedicated enthusiastic volun- teers that wish to serve our com- munity. Hamilton: FD2's biggest strength is the dedication and commitment of firefighters and emergency medical service pro- viders who risk their lives to help save ours. What weaknesses do you see in FD2? Klusman: In District 2, we are currently experiencing a commu- nication problem within the de- partment. LeBlanc: I do not feel it would be appropriate to comment at this time. Herth: The weakness would be maintaining volunteer fire and medical personnel in an area that is large and sparsely populated at this time. Hamilton: I have concern over how the fire district is going to continue to expand and still af- ford service without increasing taxes. What do you see as the role of FD2 as it relates to neighboring fire districts? Klusman: I fully support mu- tual aid with neighboring dis- tricts. We should work closely and share our training and resources to use our tax dollars to their full- est. LeBlanc: We need to maintain agreements that provide service and support to our customers, and continue sharing information and communications. Herth: Our role is to continue the support of "mutual" programs to serve the communities. Hamilton: I believe that avoiding unnecessary administra- tive duplication and sharing re- sources has proven to save tax- payer dollars and improve ser- vice. If there was a policy on the books with which you disagreed, what steps would you take to change that? Klusman: I would review the policy with other board members, our citizens' advisory council and department members. If the poli- cy needed to be changed and was supported, I would see to its change. If that wasn't possible, then I would attempt to modify it to meet the department needs. LeBlanc: First I would get clarification, then make sure it meets all standards, is within the law and is safe. Then if changes are needed, have a committee re- view it and recommend changes. I would also advise management and seek their input to make a decision based on information. Herth: My action would be conferencing with the fire chief to have the policy explained and to see if there would be a need for re-evaluation of that policy. Hamilton: I would discuss my concerns with fellow commission- ers, members of the citizens advi- sory committee and seek input from all levels of the organization. That process would identify ei- ther the value of the policy or the need for change. What do you see as the most important issues that FD2 will be dealing with in the immediate fu- ture, as well as over time? Klusman: The most imme- diate issue is our lack of volun- teers. Our tax base cannot sup- port a paid staff large enough to replace volunteers. We need to dedicate the next several years to revamping the volunteer require- ments, splitting job duties and improving communication skills. LeBlanc: One important issue is that public education and pre- vention will be of equal impor- tance as putting out fires and sav- ing lives. Another is that our tax base will only support a limited number of employees, so other re- sources are important to main- tain level of service. Herth: One issue of impor- tance is the growth of the commu- nity and the means to meet the demands of that growth. Another FD2 buys 2 water tankers Fire District 2 has made its fi- nal purchases from the $1.5 mil- lion bond issue passed in May 1998, according to Chief Mike Greene. The purchases include two new water tankers, with a 2,500 gal- lon capacity each. These tankers are designed to bring water to a fire scene and to replenish the supply brought by the fire en- gines. The new vehicles have open portable tanks that can be set on the from the tank, so that those fighting the fire can pump directly from that plastic vessel. This frees the tanker up to go to the water source for another refill. "This continuous flow at a fire not only enhances our ability to fight fires," said Greene, "but also will enable us to apply for a bet- ter fire insurance rating for local home and business owners." He expects that process to take a few months, and that citizens should see a in fire in- surance within a year. Additionally, FD2 has had two of their 1982 engines rebuilt and refurbished, outfitting them with larger, lastic tanks to replace the rusting ones, among other up- grades. According to Greene, there will be a slight amount of the original bond money unspent, and that will be used to repay a portion of the bonds, saving the taxpayers some of the interest. 9' Kathryn Klusman issue is to seek legislation with the support of all county fire dis- tricts, for a new structure of fund- ing for the fire districts. Hamilton: Important issues include planning and budgeting, recruitment and retention of vol- unteers, meeting ever-increasing unfunded state and federal man- dates, meeting future equipment and facility needs without raising taxes, avoiding duplication of ser- vices, mergers and consolidations with neighboring districts, main- raining response times, seeking alternative funding sources. What experiences and qualifi- cations do you have that make you the best candidate for FD2 commissioner, Position 3? Klusman: I have been a com- munity volunteer since 1972. I was a firefighter for five years, a dispatcher for Firecom, and am currently a Senior EMT. I have worked closely with administra- tions, steering comittees and several boards. I am well-educat- ed, outspoken and definitely a person who can accomplish what I set out to do. FD2 needs someone who can understand, re- late and respond to the current is= sues facing the fire department in the year 2000. LeBlanc: Experience? I don't know of any ready-made fire com- missioners in any district. I have worked in the public sector as a manager requiring responsibility for large inventories and super- vision of employees, and have served as past president of the volunteer firefighters' association. If elected, I will plan courses in fire management through FEMA and the national fire association. My qualities include integrity, be- ing dependable, honest and I hope humble, with a love for the fire service and its people. Herth: I have 30 plus years as a paid firefighter/paramedic, 30 plus years as a volunteer fire- fighter, and 6 years as a fire de- partment commissioner. This has given me the opportunity to see and understand the responsibili- ties that the fire service needs to give to its community in relation- ship to what the community can give to its fire service. Hamilton: During my career, I have worked at nearly every level of the business and service com- munity in both large and small organizations. I have worked as director of service organizations in several third-world countries where the ability to stretch limit- ed dollars to provide service makes the difference between life and death. Planning, budgeting, policy setting all make the frame- work, but people make the orga- nization. I have the experience and education to provide the link between the community we serve and the dedicated volunteers who risk their lives to provide this vi- tal community service. While in the Philippines, I organized 12- step counseling and critical inci- dent stress debriefing training for 120 counselors in the Department of Health. I have had training and experience as a debriefer my- self. Holiday closures The Belfair Herald office will be closed on Labor Day, Monday, September 6. The paper's dead- line will be noon Friday, Septem- ber 3 for the following Thursday's paper. Other Labor Day closures in- clude banks, postal service, North Mason Timberland Library, Washington State liquor stores, and Mason County Transit. Labor Day also traditionally marks the end of summer vaca- tion. School in both North Mason and Grapeview School• Districts will begin on Wednesday, Sep- tember 8. The Boys and Girls Club of Mason County is sched- uled to reopen Wednesday, Sep- )er 15. Bd6a00 g Belfair - Allyn - Grapeview - Tahuya - Mason Lake - South Shore - Victor ..uursday, september 2, 1999 Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal Mason High School Mark Flatau has an- that the 1999-2000 begin on Wednes- with arena reg- grades 10 through Were registered last received their class the freshmen orien- earlier this week. la registration for take place in the gYm on September 8. students will have pictures taken, re- assignments, pay and purchase ASB annuals. is an estimated time registration. Students begins next week should plan to be on campus and be ready to register at least 15 minutes prior to their scheduled time slot. It should be noted that stu- dents who had perfect attendance for the 1998-99 school year quali- fy to register with the first group of their respective grade level. Seniors: P-Z: 7:45-7:55 a.m. A-D: 7:55-8:05 a.m. E-H: 8:05-8:20 a.m. I-O: 8:20-8:35 a.m. Juniors: G-L: 8:40-8:55 a.m. M-R: 8:55-9:15 a.m. S-Z: 9:15-9:40 a.m. A-F: 9:35-10:10 a.m. Sophomores: A-D: 11:10-11:35 a.m. E-J: 11:35-12 noon K-Q: Noon-12:35 p.m. R-Z: 12:35-1:10 p.m. If a student is unable to attend arena registration, a relative or friend may register for him or her during their appointed time. A completed and signed "Enrollment and Contact Authori- zation form" and a "Clear Fine Record" are the students' tickets to their registration time. Stu- dents who do not have completed, signed emergency cards or who have outstanding fines will reg- ister at 1:40 p.m., after all other students are registered. Last registration will take place from 1:40 to 2:10 p.m. Any question regarding this in- formation may be directed to the high school by calling 275-2811. School break-ins Sheriff's Detective T.R. looks at one of the doors at Bel- ry School, where a rob- early last week. Sand Hill and Hawkins Middle School so struck. Several new com- puters and other items were stolen. New leads were coming in from the public, but at press time, no arrests had been made. Any information on the crimes should be given to Detective Bill Hunt at Extension 313, 275-4467 or 427-9670. cians make the rounds federal and state se- of our a number of North on Tuesday, U.S. Congressman D-Belfair, and State Senator Tim :h, made a in the Belfair Week. Dicks was in School District With the administra- .Boys and Girls Club, of Saan" honorary board =u lunch with the Kiwanis Club, and time with the Hood linen Enhancement Sheldon had met the with SOme of the the North Mason merce. On Tues- at lunch for of the day, which the area, new home, and demonstration enhancement officials ad- of issues of con- tn the North Mason lelfair and Hood Ca- nal," shared Dicks, a new resident of the South Shore. "I've spent time here every year of my life. As a kid in Bremerton, I spent time in the evenings at Twanoh State Park. There would be thou- sands of people there every sum- mer day then. We used to water ski off that point." His parents still live in Brem- erton, and he spends a lot of time there, too. He had given consider- ation to leaving his voter registra- tion in Bremerton, but it has been transferred to Mason County now. "Under the state constitu- tion, you just have to be a resi- dent of the state," he said. "But I was advised that it would be bet- ter to register where I was, in fact, living." And so he has, and gladly so, he indicated. Dicks has been pleased to be associated with the B&G Club of Mason County. He wanted to give that organization a big pat on the back for doing so many great things for kids in this community. "Over 500 kids in North Mason, and over 300 in Shelton have been served," he said, sharing the hope those numbers would go up significantly. STATISTICALLY, it has been shown over and over that offering these types of wholesome activi- ties to youth will effectively re- duce the number dealt with by the criminal justice system, Dicks "al filing set on the Fire Dis- board of corn- the focus of a period. John effective the has sought an appointment to auditor's was time to le general a ape- opened and 7. Since Opportu: for a primary, regardless of the num- ber of candidates, the one receiv- ing the most votes will be de- clared the winner. Interested people may also con- tact Fire Chief Mike Uglow at (360) 275-3578, or Secretary Patti Graeber at (360) 275-3919. Com- mission meetings are the second Thursday of each month. The two remaining commissioners may still choose to appoint someone to fill the vacancy for the period pri- or to the election date, Tuesday, November 2. shared. Therefore, $60,000 in fed- eral juvenile crime prevention money helped start up the local B&G, and he is seeking future funding from the Bureau of Jus- tice, as well. Regarding Native Americans having been granted the right, by old treaties recently interpreted by the courts, to enter private beaches to take shellfish, Dicks would prefer to see a federal trust fund set up for the purchase of land from which to gather shell- fish. In the meantime, he has con- tinued to urge Native Americans to work cooperatively with non- commercial private landowners. Dicks addressed the changes that have occurred at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, recogniz- ing that many residents of North Mason are employed by the feder- al government there. He shared that the work force has dropped from a recent high of about 13,000 down to about 8,000 now, and he expects it will drop a bit more before stabilizing. He looks forward to seeing both PSNS and Bangor work on the Trident conversion from the cur- rent C-4 to more sophisticated D- 5 missiles. "The number of Tri- dent subs will be reduced from 18 to 14," he said, with half to be homeported on each coast. He also indicated that the remaining four would not be destroyed, but converted to non-nuclear use. DICKS BELIEVES the U.S. must remain militarily strong, with the current China threat, and any future threats to the safety of this nation. He sees the military as a definite deterrent to war. The congressman addressed concerns about the safety of chil- dren in schools, day cares and other gathering places for kids, in light of some of the tragedies in our nation in the past year. Keeping guns out of the hands of would-be shooters was his main concern. "The cooperation of par- ents is required in monitoring their own children," he said. "We turn to' Four vie for FD2 commission Ralph Herth Marcia Hamilton Jim LeBlanc (The Herald is sharing infor- mation on ballot items for the primary election. This week, Fire District 2 commissioner position 3 candidates are featured. Last week, Fire District 5 commission- er Position 1 candidates and FD5 levy were covered. Next week, the Port of Dewatto director District 1 candidates will be included.) Four candidates filed for Fire District 2 (Belfair) commissioner position 3. They are, in the order they will appear on the ballot (which was determined by lot), Kathryn J. Klusman, Jim Le- Blanc, Ralph Herth and Marcia Hamilton. They are seeking a six- year term. Ballots for the position have been mailed to 4,832 voters in FD2. The election will take place entirely by mail, and ballots must be postmarked no later than Tuesday, September 14. The top two candidates will appear on the general election ballot in Novem- ber. The Mason County Auditor has an on-line voter guide at http://audit or.co.mason.wa.us, which also includes candidate statements. The position is being vacated by retiring commissioner Harry Davis, who has served for 20 years. Kathryn J. Klusman, 40, is the owner of Canal Coffee Compa- ny in Belfair. She lives in the Riv- erhill neighborhood, and has three sons: Shannon, 21, who re- cently married; Kristopher, 18, who is attending college; and Leife, 14, who attends North Ma- son High School. Jim LeBlanc, 53, is a field service representative with Inter- lott Tech of Cincinnati, Ohio. He and his wife Jo Anna live on Chi- nook Drive. Margaret Ibele of Bel- fair is his mother. Ralph Herth, 57, is retired from the Seattle Fire Depart- ment. He and his wife Sharon live on Haven Lake, have four grown daughters and eight grandchil- dren. Marcia Hamilton, 56, is proj- ect director for the Jammin' Com- pany of the Boys and Girls Club of Mason County. She and her husband Denny, an international training consultant, live on Tiger Lake. She has three adult chil- dren, Mundi, 30, Dan, 25, and Elizabeth, 20. Her mother, Euge- nia Woolman, is an artist, and her brother is a journalist. Questions asked by The Herald are followed by the answers of each candidate. What motivated you to run for FD2 commissioner at this time? Klusman: I felt that the de- partment could use my experi- ence as a volunteer to meet the upcoming challenges it will face in the next six years. LeBlanc: I would like to plan for future involvement in fire ser- vice. Within two years I will have 25 years of volunteer fire service. Like all athletes, I must plan for when I can no longer physically meet the challenges of the game. Herth: I enjoyed being a com- missioner with Fire District 15 before the merger with FD2. There was an opening for a new commissioner now with FD2, and being recently retired, I can now give more time to the administra- tive side of the department. Hamilton: I want to serve my community not as a firefighter, but by bringing my experience in planning, budgeting and policy setting to this vital community service organization. What goals do you personally have for FD2, and how do these align with the goals of the dis- trict? Klusman: I want to get back to the basics. FD2 was built on the strength of its volunteers: Neighbors helping neighbors. Now, with family and job commit- ments, volunteering is very diffi- cult to do. I wish to assist the de- partment in rebuilding our volun- teer base. Through that effort, we can control costs. LeBlanc: My goals include the master plan and mission state- ment, more community support, increased interest in fire and EMS service, recruitment and re- tention of personnel. How do they align? I would hope in a straight line. FD2 will need to be on the lookout for more opportunities to serve the public. Communities are holding elected officials ac- countable for their actions and productivity. A fire department that cannot and will not meet ad- ditional needs of their customers/public that fit with the mission statement will be re- placed by commercial operations. The continued existence of the fire service as we know it will hinge on the organization's ability to meet wants, needs and expec- tations of their customers/public. Herth: My goal is to best serve the community within the budget that the community can support. Hamilton: My goal for the fire district is to assure that the fire district plans will safeguard and conserve our limited budget dol- lars. Careful planning assures our community receives the high- est possible level of fire and emer- gency medical service. What strengths do you see in FD2? Klusman: FD2 is on the cut- ting edge of education and pre- vention. We have an outstanding group of dedicated individuals who give of their time to educate our citizens on many aspects of safety and prevention. FD2 cares. LeBlanc: Some will say the strengths are in its equipment, facilities, or its position in the community. From my view, it is the people: career staff, volunteer staff and support personnel. Peo- ple! People! People! Herth: The strengths of FD2 are strong leadership through the paid personnel of the department, and dedicated enthusiastic volun- teers that wish to serve our com- munity. Hamilton: FD2's biggest strength is the dedication and commitment of firefighters and emergency medical service pro- viders who risk their lives to help save ours. What weaknesses do you see in FD2? Klusman: In District 2, we are currently experiencing a commu- nication problem within the de- partment. LeBlanc: I do not feel it would be appropriate to comment at this time. Herth: The weakness would be maintaining volunteer fire and medical personnel in an area that is large and sparsely populated at this time. Hamilton: I have concern over how the fire district is going to continue to expand and still af- ford service without increasing taxes. What do you see as the role of FD2 as it relates to neighboring fire districts? Klusman: I fully support mu- tual aid with neighboring dis- tricts. We should work closely and share our training and resources to use our tax dollars to their full- est. LeBlanc: We need to maintain agreements that provide service and support to our customers, and continue sharing information and communications. Herth: Our role is to continue the support of "mutual" programs to serve the communities. Hamilton: I believe that avoiding unnecessary administra- tive duplication and sharing re- sources has proven to save tax- payer dollars and improve ser- vice. If there was a policy on the books with which you disagreed, what steps would you take to change that? Klusman: I would review the policy with other board members, our citizens' advisory council and department members. If the poli- cy needed to be changed and was supported, I would see to its change. If that wasn't possible, then I would attempt to modify it to meet the department needs. LeBlanc: First I would get clarification, then make sure it meets all standards, is within the law and is safe. Then if changes are needed, have a committee re- view it and recommend changes. I would also advise management and seek their input to make a decision based on information. Herth: My action would be conferencing with the fire chief to have the policy explained and to see if there would be a need for re-evaluation of that policy. Hamilton: I would discuss my concerns with fellow commission- ers, members of the citizens advi- sory committee and seek input from all levels of the organization. That process would identify ei- ther the value of the policy or the need for change. What do you see as the most important issues that FD2 will be dealing with in the immediate fu- ture, as well as over time? Klusman: The most imme- diate issue is our lack of volun- teers. Our tax base cannot sup- port a paid staff large enough to replace volunteers. We need to dedicate the next several years to revamping the volunteer require- ments, splitting job duties and improving communication skills. LeBlanc: One important issue is that public education and pre- vention will be of equal impor- tance as putting out fires and sav- ing lives. Another is that our tax base will only support a limited number of employees, so other re- sources are important to main- tain level of service. Herth: One issue of impor- tance is the growth of the commu- nity and the means to meet the demands of that growth. Another FD2 buys 2 water tankers Fire District 2 has made its fi- nal purchases from the $1.5 mil- lion bond issue passed in May 1998, according to Chief Mike Greene. The purchases include two new water tankers, with a 2,500 gal- lon capacity each. These tankers are designed to bring water to a fire scene and to replenish the supply brought by the fire en- gines. The new vehicles have open portable tanks that can be set on the from the tank, so that those fighting the fire can pump directly from that plastic vessel. This frees the tanker up to go to the water source for another refill. "This continuous flow at a fire not only enhances our ability to fight fires," said Greene, "but also will enable us to apply for a bet- ter fire insurance rating for local home and business owners." He expects that process to take a few months, and that citizens should see a in fire in- surance within a year. Additionally, FD2 has had two of their 1982 engines rebuilt and refurbished, outfitting them with larger, lastic tanks to replace the rusting ones, among other up- grades. According to Greene, there will be a slight amount of the original bond money unspent, and that will be used to repay a portion of the bonds, saving the taxpayers some of the interest. 9' Kathryn Klusman issue is to seek legislation with the support of all county fire dis- tricts, for a new structure of fund- ing for the fire districts. Hamilton: Important issues include planning and budgeting, recruitment and retention of vol- unteers, meeting ever-increasing unfunded state and federal man- dates, meeting future equipment and facility needs without raising taxes, avoiding duplication of ser- vices, mergers and consolidations with neighboring districts, main- raining response times, seeking alternative funding sources. What experiences and qualifi- cations do you have that make you the best candidate for FD2 commissioner, Position 3? Klusman: I have been a com- munity volunteer since 1972. I was a firefighter for five years, a dispatcher for Firecom, and am currently a Senior EMT. I have worked closely with administra- tions, steering comittees and several boards. I am well-educat- ed, outspoken and definitely a person who can accomplish what I set out to do. FD2 needs someone who can understand, re- late and respond to the current is= sues facing the fire department in the year 2000. LeBlanc: Experience? I don't know of any ready-made fire com- missioners in any district. I have worked in the public sector as a manager requiring responsibility for large inventories and super- vision of employees, and have served as past president of the volunteer firefighters' association. If elected, I will plan courses in fire management through FEMA and the national fire association. My qualities include integrity, be- ing dependable, honest and I hope humble, with a love for the fire service and its people. Herth: I have 30 plus years as a paid firefighter/paramedic, 30 plus years as a volunteer fire- fighter, and 6 years as a fire de- partment commissioner. This has given me the opportunity to see and understand the responsibili- ties that the fire service needs to give to its community in relation- ship to what the community can give to its fire service. Hamilton: During my career, I have worked at nearly every level of the business and service com- munity in both large and small organizations. I have worked as director of service organizations in several third-world countries where the ability to stretch limit- ed dollars to provide service makes the difference between life and death. Planning, budgeting, policy setting all make the frame- work, but people make the orga- nization. I have the experience and education to provide the link between the community we serve and the dedicated volunteers who risk their lives to provide this vi- tal community service. While in the Philippines, I organized 12- step counseling and critical inci- dent stress debriefing training for 120 counselors in the Department of Health. I have had training and experience as a debriefer my- self. Holiday closures The Belfair Herald office will be closed on Labor Day, Monday, September 6. The paper's dead- line will be noon Friday, Septem- ber 3 for the following Thursday's paper. Other Labor Day closures in- clude banks, postal service, North Mason Timberland Library, Washington State liquor stores, and Mason County Transit. Labor Day also traditionally marks the end of summer vaca- tion. School in both North Mason and Grapeview School• Districts will begin on Wednesday, Sep- tember 8. The Boys and Girls Club of Mason County is sched- uled to reopen Wednesday, Sep- )er 15.