La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

The 2,932 registered voters in Fire District 13 have a choice that could change the tone and dynamics of their fire protection agency’s governing board.

Election years in Fire District 13 are notoriously volatile, and this election has been no exception as appointed incumbent Jim Grove of Anacortes faces a challenge by La Conner farmer Arne Fohn.

The gloves came off last summer, when Grove sent a letter to the Swinomish Tribal Senate taking issue with the number of signs supporting Fohn on reservation land.

The newest sign saga concerns the ones that state “Volunteer Firefighters for Arne Fohn,” which were paid for by Adam Avery — the son of embattled District 13 commission member Doug Avery — and other volunteers, mostly members of the La Conner Fire Department. All but three of La Conner’s 16 volunteer firefighters actually live in the area served by Fire District 13 but signed on to serve with La Conner, instead.

Grove supporters have sent this newspaper a dozen letters — four of them came through the email of the district’s Administrative Assistant Maggie Horn, who is married to the chief.

Fohn has been elusive with the media. When this paper finally managed to get an interview, he said he’s not saying much because he doesn’t want to add fuel to the controversies. The people who have written letters supporting him have dropped them off at the newspaper office in person.

Recently, a group of Grove supporters have been gathering in front of the Shelter Bay gated community waving signs, smiling and greeting passing motorists.

Meanwhile, the Fohn signs keep proliferating, mostly in people’s yards and on private property.

District 13 commission member Doug Avery, whose term doesn’t expire for another four years, has become a flash point in this election.

Last week the present board majority, which consists of Grove and Commissioner Chuck Hedlund, voted to censure Avery over allegations that he harassed and created a hostile workplace for district secretary Deborah McFarlane.

Should the voters put Fohn in office, it would break up the present board majority made up of Grove and Hedlund.

Fire District 13 serves about 4,400 residents and covers an area that includes the Swinomish Reservation and Shelter Bay on the west and stretches across the La Conner Flats and Pleasant Ridge toward Best Road on the east and is roughly bounded by Highway 20 on the north and the north fork of the Skagit River on the south. The Town of La Conner is a little island in the middle of the district that is served by its own municipal fire department. Town residents do not vote in the fire district election.

Commissioners serve six-year terms and are paid a stipend of $114 per meeting, which includes not only the regular twice-monthly business meetings, but special meetings, conference attendance, other miscellaneous engagements up to a maximum of $10,800 per commissioner per year.

Please see candidate profiles on page 5.