KLINE – Three vacancies on the Fort Lewis Mesa Fire Protection District board were filled this week by appointment, leaving the district with a board majority not elected by voters.
Erin Aas, Brandon Brown and Ryan Preator were sworn in Tuesday after being appointed to the board.
The five-member board is primarily responsible for financial oversight. Members – under normal circumstances – are elected by district residents.
But following an election in May – when voters ousted board president Debbie Lee and signaled a desire for change – the fire chief resigned, two board members quit and nine firefighters left.
Aas, Brown and Preator expressed interest in serving on the board. Brown and Preator were appointed.
A week later, newly elected board member Travis Schmitt, an experienced firefighter, resigned to focus on the daily operations of the department as a volunteer.
That resignation created another vacancy, which was filled by Aas.
The three appointed members will serve two-year terms before standing for election, rather than serving the standard four-year terms for elected members.
jbowman@durangoherald.com
