WAITSBURG—Volunteers stepped up to begin the process for selecting a new fire chief at the Columbia-Walla Walla County Fire District 2 meeting on Wednesday, April 14.

Commissioner Deb Fortner gave a brief update on the ongoing repairs at the fire station. Projects to complete include updating exterior doors and installing handrails along the stairs. Commissioner Jake Long said that he stopped by the station prior to the meeting and thought the kitchen looked close to completion, however, a final walk-through would be needed.

Interim fire chief Colter Mohney said that the district will not be receiving equipment from the Department of Natural Resources 50/50 grant that he applied for earlier this year. The maximum funding was reached before Mohney had a chance to complete the application.

The grant would have allowed the district to purchase wildland firefighting gear at discounted prices. The district is not in dire need of firefighting equipment at this time according to Mohney.

District 2 has four volunteer firefighters taking their National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) exam, the final step to becoming registered EMTs. Mohney, Jamie McMillan, and Matt Spring have been helping the four study for the exam.

“I have to give kudos to those students,” Mohney said. “When they need something, they’re pretty quick to send a message, make a phone call, whatever they have to do to get the help they want.”

District clerk Anne Higginson said she is waiting on employee paperwork for two new volunteers. Both volunteers cannot attend district training until the paperwork is finished for liability reasons.

Higginson shared an update on election changes for the upcoming county elections. She said that any ballot measures must be included in a local voter’s pamphlet for both Columbia and Walla Walla Counties. Candidates will also be included in the pamphlet. Higginson said that there is at least one commissioner spot up for re-election in Columbia County, and possibly one in Walla Walla County. The filing period in Walla Walla period is May 17-21.

Columbia County EMS Director Ashley Strickland asked about the process for hiring a new fire chief. Firefighter Matt Spring suggested that the district form a committee to create a job description and decide what the district will want and expect from a chief moving forward. Spring served on the interview committee for previous hiring situations. Commissioner Bruce Abbey agreed that a committee would be a safe place to start, seeking broader input from commissioners, officers, and volunteers alike. Fortner said that the commissioners will have the final say on the job description and included duties, but the committee’s suggestions would be considered.

Strickland suggested that the district explore all options for the chief position, saying that there are many ways that the job could be covered without hiring a new, paid person. One suggestion was splitting the duties between existing district members, and asking Fire District 3 for administration help. Strickland also served on the interview and hiring committee for the previous chief.

Spring and Strickland both volunteered to serve on the new committee. Spring expressed that he felt it was important to have a commissioner from both Walla Walla and Columbia Counties, as well as a couple of volunteers on the committee. Fortner said she would like to see the committee comprised of all volunteers, including both new and long-standing members, for “fresh input.”

She asked that the committee have names of all on the committee and potential timelines for the process to the commissioners within a week.

The previous chief, Michael Moynihan, from San Francisco, Calif., was hired late last year, and served in the position for a short time before his contract was terminated in January 2021. The details surrounding the termination are still unclear.

Strickland said that the Columbia County Health System is planning for an incident drill this summer, but there was no set date as of the meeting. He said that the drill will take place at the Columbia Pulp mill in Starbuck, and the health system will likely be asking for victim actor volunteers. The drill will have the Waitsburg Clinic involved. He said that he will update the district as he learns more.

The meeting adjourned shortly after Strickland shared about the upcoming drill.