Hill Street residents continue attack on fire department plans

Since it was announced last month that Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue was interested in purchasing a portion of the Beaver Valley School property in Plain for expansion of their fire department next door, nearby Hill Street residents have been in a full out offensive to prevent this from happening, fearing that somehow this would impact negatively on their rural lifestyle. 

Hill Street residents packed into the Nov. 27 Cascade School Board to voice their concerns about the upcoming plan, some highly critical of the fire department. At the Dec. 12 school board meeting, Hill Street residents continued to push their agenda. 

At the previous meeting, Hill Street resident David Stoller pressed the board on the possible negative health impact of live fire training on this site. Stoller continued that theme at the Dec. 12 meeting, explaining that he is a practicing physician with 40 years experience, including time as a volunteer firefighter. 

“The job of firefighter is an exceedingly dangerous job. Our firefighters are involved with toxic exposures all the time,” Stoller said. “Sixty percent of line of duty deaths in firefighters nationwide is not from burning, but from cancer. Sixty percent of firefighter deaths is related to cancer related illness. Firefighters have a much greater chance for many cancers.”

Stoller said many of the toxic exposures come from the byproducts of burns, including during training. He wanted to outline how that related to the school in Plain. 

“What my concern is about the school, toxic residues which can occur on firefigther’s uniforms can also occur in the environment. It is well documented contamination of soils at fire training sites,” Stoller said. “As you folks consider selling that land to fire department, I would urge you to think if this is in the best interest of our children, the school and our community. I would urge you to say no. This is not a good idea. Don’t do it.”

Former Cascade School Board member Mike McComas helped to spearhead the purchase of Beaver Valley property some 10 years ago.  

“I’m here to challenge you as a board. Right now, you’re in the driver’s seat. I think selling it to the fire district is not a negative in most cases,” McComas said. “But it sounds like there are concerns up there. What I’m here to represent is the promises we made to the community.”

McComas, a longtime Plain resident, said a percentage of the property was intended to be open space for ball fields, not just for the kids but for the community up there “that feels rather left out from the lower valley.”

“We made a commitment when we bought that property so that’s why we took that extra property. 

My challenge to you is...you’re in the driver’s seat right now, so if you’re going to have limitations or restrictions that carry forward on that property, you can do that, attaching that to the sale of the property, which then gives property owners in the area, the public, to make that property is being used in a wise way that benefits the community and doesn’t step on the toes of the residents up there,” McComas said. 

McComas said the board needs to think about how it can help preserve the decisions his board made. 

“Most of you are going to be, in 10 years, off this board. A lot of the decisions you make today, you’re going to hope other people stand behind your decisions,” McComas said. 

Volunteer fireman Mike Stanford, who said he was not speaking for the fire department, said it was an awesome thing the board is considering selling the land to the fire district, saying it was part of the strategic plan. 

Speaking to the live fire training, Stanford said he thought a lot of that information is completely false. 

“I just conducted live fire training right across from the brand new high school you are building. A lot of what the doctor spoke to is not really true information,” Stanford said. 

Stanford said there was a lot of emotion in the room from the Hill Street residents, which is their right, to have those concerns. 

“I think the information is false that is being put out there. Mr. Dunn wrote a pretty false article in his paper last week that had a lot of really false information, basically personal opinions and not factual information. I would take that into consideration as you move forward,” Stanford said. 

Some of the negative things coming out of the folks on Hill Street is just dumbfounding, Stanford said. 

“Also to say something stands out, and Mike McComas understands this, the school and the fire station have been in that community longer that any of these people’s homes. That is something pretty interesting to speak of,” Stanford said. “Don’t build your house there if you don’t want future development on land that is not being used yet. That’s my opinion about it.”

Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue Chief Mick Lamar was visibly emotional in light of all the criticism that has come his way by Hill Street residents. He was particularly stung by the letter read into the record on Nov. 27 from Hill Street resident Matt Rogers. 

“I was concerned at the last meeting that lady read a letter from Matt Rogers, an assistant chief in a major metropolitan fire department, that was not factual in its information,” Lamar said. “I’m here to correct those mistakes in his letter about us being mismanaged, uneducated and misinformed.”

Lamar read into the record some communication received by Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue. 

From former volunteer David Frazier, “I would like to say how much I appreciate you for the training, which is an excellent example of our fire service family. In the time I’ve been a volunteer, this organization continues to become an example of excellence in community service. I love having served and I love the things you do for your district.” 

From retired Wenatchee fire marshal, Mark Gable, “It was a pleasure working with true professionalism that you and your people exhibit.”

From Chelan County Fire District 3, “They wrote us a letter thanking us for responding to the Spromberg Canyon Fire, being able to help evacuate people from the large scale fire there,” Lamar said. 

From the Department of Health, “Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue is a well managed agency, which puts it’s pride where it works. It shows with true admiration by your community.”

“I’ve also brought a handful of thank you’s from the people we respond to and help on a regular basis. I think the character smearing that went on in Matt’s letter was unnecessary. If he has an opinion on whether or not we purchase property, that is one thing, but to smear the people that work hard and volunteer,” Lamar said. 

Lamar also related a recent conversation with a Hill Street resident. 

“One of these residents on Hill Street told us, you firefighters will pay a deep price for supporting this project. Your firefighters pay a deep price every time they respond to a call. I didn’t need to be reminded of that, but they wanted to remind us,” Lamar said. 

Hill Street resident Don Bottoms read a letter into the record promoting the Beaver Valley land for a future park. 

“The citizens of Plain have long had the desire for some portion of the flat land in Beaver Valley near the Wenatchee River to be set aside for a community park/recreation area. This desire even predates the establishment of Beaver Valley School. The proposed land sale transaction between Cascade School District and Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue, would forever preclude the realization of that desire,” Bottoms said. 

Bottoms suggested the citizens of Plain create their own recreation district for the purpose of buying the school district land for a park and community center. 

“The Hill Street neighborhood respectfully requests that, should the Board decide that the property could be sold, the citizens of Plain be given the chance to form a Recreation District by obtaining sufficient petition signatures. Since this involves time and cost, this step would be taken only if the property were deemed available to non-profit parties in addition to LWFR. In this way, the citizens of Plain will have one last chance to have a voice in the future of this unique property,” Bottoms said. 

School Board President Carrie Sorensen, also a Plain resident, thanked those in attendance for their input, but did not indicate any decision on the property would be forthcoming. 

Ian Dunn can be reached at 548-5286 or editor@leavenworthecho.com.