By Russell Hixson
The Skagit Valley Herald
LA CONNER, Wash. — After the first meeting of the year, the secretary for Fire District 13 submitted her letter of resignation, citing differences with the actions of the district’s board of commissioners.
It’s the latest incident involving a twice-censured commissioner who was previously found to have created a hostile work environment for district secretary Deborah McFarlane and illegally retaliated against her for filing a complaint.
“I think it’s incredibly sad,” said McFarlane, who has been with the district for nearly five years.
She took issue with two of the three commissioners, Doug Avery and newly elected commissioner Arne Fohn.
She said she believes together they now control the majority of the three-member board and have violated the state’s Open Public Meetings Act and violated district policy.
Avery and Fohn voted at this month’s meeting to make Avery the chair commissioner. Commissioner Chuck Hedlund opposed.
The new board represents a shift in the direction of the district, one McFarlane said she did not want to be a part of. She isn’t the only one concerned.
Because of statements previously made by Avery, Hedlund said long-term projects like the use of government grants to plan for future personnel and the possible formation of a regional fire association could be in jeopardy.
Hedlund said he feels Avery is trying to get more control over the district, something Hedlund believes could stand in the way of growth.
“I’m frustrated, but I’m not going to give up,” Hedlund said, predicting a year where he will have to watch closely to ensure no laws are broken.
Hedlund alleges that may already have occurred.
He contended that Avery violated the Open Public Meetings Act during the commission’s first meeting in January. Hedlund said Avery called the board into executive session to talk about evaluating district employee performances.
Instead, Avery brought in several assistant fire chiefs and urged them to give up their contracts with the promise not to fire them, Hedlund said. He added that he did not know that would happen and that Avery’s actions made him uncomfortable. “It’s a very grey area what happened,” Hedlund said.
By law, officials in executive session can talk about evaluating employees, but salaries, wages and other conditions of employment must occur in public.
Fire Chief Roy Horn said he has notified the state Auditor’s Office to investigate.
McFarlane leaves a major hole in the district during a busy time of year, officials said.
The board held a special meeting Friday and appointed Horn temporarily to handle public records requests.
It’s not the first time Avery’s colleagues have taken issue with him.
In October, the Board of Fire Commissioners for Fire District 13 voted to censure Avery after an independent investigation determined his behavior created a hostile work environment for McFarlane and showed he retaliated against her when she filed a formal complaint.
Before that, Avery was censured for sending inappropriate emails to staff and making false statements. And he was previously terminated as a volunteer firefighter for a long list of complaints including inappropriate emails, ignoring the chain of command and unbecoming behavior.
Avery refused to comment for this story Friday.
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(c)2014 the Skagit Valley Herald (Mount Vernon, Wash.)
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