Town leaders mourn death of key advisor

New La Conner Emergency Management Commission chair Jerry George had sad news to share when the panel met March 5 at Maple Hall.

George had the unenviable task of announcing the death of commission charter member Duane Carpenter, 64, whose expertise in meteorology was frequently tapped during the board’s inaugural year as it considered flood mitigation strategies.

George said that Carpenter, with an extensive background in cartography and weather analysis, died unexpectedly March 1 from complications following a surgical procedure.

“Duane was particularly valuable to this commission,” George s...