Only two of the five candidates seeking a seat on the Lewis-Arriola Fire Protection District completed a meet-the-candidates questionnaire.
On April 1, The Cortez Journal emailed a questionnaire to all five candidates – Douglas Muscanell and Kathryn Kay Garlinghouse, both seeking to fill two four-year terms, and Thomas Gilliland, William Blackmer and Rick Newby, who are battling for two two-year terms.
Question 2 inquired, if elected, what would be the top priorities of each candidate. Muscanell and Newby were the only candidates to respond.
Muscanell, a 60-year-old former captain with the Lewis-Arriola Fire Department, said his top priorities would be continuing efforts to ensure a top-notch fire protection and medical response agency was available for Lewis-Arriola.
He said board members must be mindful to stay in compliance with state and federal regulations.
“(We have to) utilize funds wisely for safety, training and updating equipment,” Muscanell said.
Newby, a 51-year-old retiree who previously volunteered with the Lewis-Arriola Fire Department, said he would maintain a strong commitment to public safety.
“The board’s role in this is ensuring that the volunteer members have the equipment and training to do the best possible job,” Newby said.
The Lewis-Arriola Fire Protection District election will be decided on May 6 via mail-in ballots. The ballots are required to be sent to voters by April 21.
Allocated a full week to complete the questionnaires, all the candidates were informed their responses were subject to editing due to space limitations in print, but all were promised each of the questionnaires would be published in their entirety without any editing online.
To view the candidate questionnaires, visit www.cortezjournal.com.
tbaker@cortezjournal.com
Lewis-Arriola Fire Protection District Candidate Questionnaire
Name: Doug Muscanell
Age: 60
Telephone: 970-560-2715
Email: doug@muscanell.com
Website: Not listed
1. List three action items you’d introduce to guarantee the people’s right to know?
Our board meetings are open to the public. We encourage the public to come to our budget meetings, and the notice always appears in the paper.
2. If elected, what would be your top priorities?
Ensuring the continuation of top notch fire protection and medical response for the Lewis-Arriola district, by utilizing funds wisely for safety training, and updating equipment. A lot of the job the fire board does is to ensure that the department is in compliance with state and federal regulations.
3. In examining the district’s total budget, which line items would you support for greater funding and which line items would you recommend be cut? Why?
Our funds come to us primarily through the mil levy. The board works with the fire department to set priorities and fine tune the budget. There is always greater need than available funds. Our department is very fiscally conservative in our spending. Our members know how to make a little go a long way.
4. Is working and partnering with outside agencies important? Why or why not?
Absolutely. We have mutual aid agreements with all area fire departments. In addition, our department works closely with the Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies. Our volunteer department is often the first to respond to fire or other incidents on federal land that lies within our district.
5. List the district’s top three needs, and what steps would you take to address those concerns?
1. We need improvement in our radio communications equipment in the area, both with members of our own department communicating with each other, as well as communicating with other agencies. Our Chief, George Deavers, attends monthly meetings with the other fire agencies and they are working to improve this system.
2. Completion of our new Arriola station to house equipment. Its modern design will facilitate quicker response. Every truck will have its own bay. In the old Arriola firehouse, we had to do a lot of shuffling around of trucks depending on the type of call we had. The structure of the old building has become unsafe.
6. List your expertise and/or qualifications that set you apart from other candidates.
I was a volunteer with the Lewis-Arriola Fire Dept. for 22 years. I served as Secretary and Captain, and was a First Responder. This gives me a better understanding of the needs of our department volunteers. I have been a business owner for 28 years and have a good understanding of budgets and finances. I love the community that I live in and believe in the hard working volunteers that make this department work.
Lewis-Arriola Fire Protection District Candidate Questionnaire
Name: Rick Newby
Age: 51
Telephone: 970-882-4349
Email: rfnewby@yahoo.com
Website: Not listed
1. List three action items you’d introduce to guarantee the people’s right to know?
Our bylaws state that meetings are open to the public. I would encourage anyone who has questions to contact a board member, and if they do not feel their question was answered, I would encourage them to attend a monthly board meeting.
2. If elected, what would be your top priorities?
We need to keep a strong commitment to public safety. The board’s role in this is ensuring that the volunteer members have the equipment and training to do the best possible job.
3. In examining the district’s total budget, which line items would you support for greater funding and which line items would you recommend be cut? Why?
Our priority is to ensure that the department has the best possible equipment and training to provide for their safety while carrying out their service. Based on the tax dollars we receive, we operate on a very tight budget. I would strive to keep costs as low as possible while maintaining an effective department.
4. Is working and partnering with outside agencies important? Why or why not?
Partnering with outside agencies is important and by working together it helps to cut costs by not duplicating efforts.
5. List the district’s top three needs, and what steps would you take to address those concerns?
1. Completing the new station at Arriola. The old station was structurally deficient and really needs to be replaced.
2. Stay committed to keeping a strong volunteer department. Our history has proven that we have always had a dedicated volunteer membership. I think this is because of good leadership from the board and department officers. Over the years, the board and the department has worked really well together.
6. List your expertise and/or qualifications that set you apart from other candidates.
I have lived in this district my entire life and am currently retired. I have time to commit to the board and am accessible. I was a volunteer firefighter with Lewis-Arriola shortly after the department was organized, so I understand the needs of the membership. I have owned and operated a successful small business for 26 years, so I understand the financial end of things, and also the importance of good management and leadership to create teamwork.
