Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue seeks applicants for two open commissioner seats

LAKE WENATCHEE — Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue (LWFR) is seeking candidates to fill two vacant seats on the board of commissioners.

The search follows the recent resignation of former commissioner Mick Lamar, effective June 3, and the anticipated retirement of Mike Payne, effective July 16.

The board plans to select an appointee to fill Lamar’s vacancy on July 7. The appointed commissioner will participate in selecting Payne’s replacement on July 16.

According to the district, appointed commissioners will serve until the official certification of the next district general election in November 2027. To retain either seat for the remainder of the respective unexpired terms, appointees will have to formally file and run as candidates within the November 2027 local election cycle.

The fire district asks that prospective candidates complete the candidate profile and designation form, sign a code of conduct and Public Records Act (PRA) acknowledgement, a letter of interest, and a professional resume. Documents can be uploaded at lwfr.org/vacancy or delivered in a sealed envelope to Station 91.

Prospective candidates must hold U.S. citizenship, be registered to vote in Chelan County,  and maintain at least 30 days uninterrupted physical residency within district boundaries; they cannot have any prohibited financial, beneficial, or employment contract conflicts of interest with the fire district.

While community leadership is valuable, the board said its five-point candidate scoring matrix explicitly prioritizes statutory and fiscal literacy, an understanding of governance boundaries, and capital asset oversight capability. The goal is “to find leaders who can navigate complex operational needs and long-term capital balancing,” according to the district.

The application window is open until 5 p.m. on June 30. Interviews of candidates for both seats will take place during an open public meeting on July 7 at 6 p.m. at Station 91.