Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue District Director Position 2 Choose 1
Special districts in Oregon are formed to provide specific local government needs. They are created by a vote of the people in the local area being served. Examples include people’s utility districts, library districts, water districts, fire protection districts, and more. They are governed by a board of directors, which is responsible for management and financial accountability. Special districts are empowered to levy any necessary taxes and fees to fulfill their mandate. Board members are not paid but may receive a per diem reimbursement.The 267 fire protection districts in Oregon can have different structures and mandates, but all are responsible for funding and staffing fire prevention and safety services, and for managing the budgets of local fire stations.Qualifications: Candidate must be a registered voter or a landowner in the district. If the district has a supporting ordinance, employees of the district are not eligible. ORS 478.050Term: 4 years
Biographical Information
Campaign Phone (public)
none
Town Where You Live
Sherwood OR
Your Experience/Qualifications
I have served on the TVFR Board since 1997. Prior to that I served on the District's Budget Committee from 1995-97. I am a lawyer in private practice since 1979. My practice includes representing units of local government (counties, cities, special districts, peoples' utility districts and intergovernmental entities) for water, wastewater, electricity and natural resource matters.ters.
County
Oregon
Term
4 years
Term Expires
06/30/2029
What skills and experience, including prior board experience, do you bring to the position?
I have served as a Director on the TVFR Board since 1997. In addition, my legal practice is primarily devoted to advising local government boards and commissions providing utility services such as water, wastewater, electricity, and stewardship of natural resources.
What do you see as the top priorities for the District, and how would you achieve them?
TVFR provides fire and emergency medical services. We must continue to provide effective first response services by assuring that each call receives the right personnel, resources, and equipment and that they arrive on time. This means continuation of the purposeful practice to recruit the best people to assure continuity of service levels as older members of the work force near retirement. We also need to continue upgrade of stations (including new stations) located in the most optimum spots for call response and safety based on the best available data. All of this has to be managed within the tax levy authority generously approved by the voters. The Board has developed a plan and now we need to implement it.
How do you understand the board’s role in relation to that of the fire chief?
The Fire Chief is in charge of administration of the District. Our role as Board members is to set policy and approve financial matters to enable the Fire Chief to perform. The Board is responsive to the citizens of TVFR but works through the Fire Chief to achieve goals and objectives.