District 7 fire chief paid $325,000 to retire as commissioners squabble

CLEARVIEW — Snohomish County Fire District 7 is paying its former longtime chief nearly $325,000 to leave quietly.

Leadership at the district has splintered ever since merger talks with Fire District 1 fell through in Febru

ary.

Former fire chief Rick Eastman retired last month after 32 years as chief. He agreed to leave in exchange for $92,787 a year for the 3½ years left on his contract. He signed a settlement with the district April 15, a binding agreement that precludes him from seeking any legal claims against the district.

Eastman’s leaving was meant to alleviate the “current discord and acrimony” at the district, according to the settlement. Some of the five elected commissioners had suggested firing him. He told the district he couldn’t be an effective leader under those circumstances.

“An impasse between the chief and the board of commissioners exists to such an extent that a minority of the Board has expressed a desire to no longer employ the chief,” the settlement said.

The commissioners and the chief disagreed on the “direction, growth of the district, personnel, expansion, contractual obligations and management.”

It was evidence of a fire district in turmoil.

The fire commissioners are so fractured that they are considering hiring an outside consultant to help them get along. The district also faces an uncertain financial future because of annexations and declining property values in the area it serves, which includes most of rural southeast Snohomish County and Mill Creek.

Fire District 7 is home to nearly 70,000 people. It employs 124 people, including firefighters, administrators and volunteers. Its general budget in 2011 was $16.7 million.

Eastman was paid $152,473 as chief. His settlement goes through Jan. 1, 2015. That’s because he signed a five-year contract with the district in 2010. In addition to the $92,000 a year, the district agreed to pay about $17,000 in health-insurance premiums.

In 2015, Eastman will start receiving his $89,016 annual pension.

Eastman, 61, turned down several requests for interviews through the district’s spokeswoman, Autumn Waite.

“I believe Chief Eastman is enjoying settling into retirement and is no longer interested in speaking with the media,” she said.

Commissioners Roy Waugh, Gregg Knapp and Don Andrew all declined to comment on the settlement. They said they couldn’t talk about it because it had been decided in executive session with the district’s lawyer providing legal counsel.

Waugh said he adamantly opposed the settlement but felt compelled to sign.

“I think Chief Eastman dedicated his life to District 7, and that’s all I can say at this time,” he said.

Waugh considered resigning from the board to provide even more leadership change, but several people asked him to stay, according to the board’s minutes. Waugh did step down as board chairman — a position he had held for about a dozen years.

If the district was planning a different path, Waugh didn’t want to be in the way, he said.

Commissioner Gunther Hausmann said other commissioners hassled Eastman until he had no choice but to leave.

Eastman always followed the board’s direction, but he recently got caught in the crossfire among commissioners, Hausmann said.

District 7 and District 1 spent a year discussing a possible merger. District 7’s sudden vote to end the talks earlier this year split its commissioners 3-2. Passions on the subject still run high.

Eastman tried to stay on neutral ground, but he questioned various aspects of the merger, Hausmann said. Some commissioners thought he was taking sides.

“It’s kind of hard if you have five bosses to make them all happy,” Hausmann said.

The argument over consolidating fire services now has turned to the talks about forming a regional fire authority in south Snohomish County. The planning committee includes representatives from District 7 and District 1, along with seven cities and towns. Some are gung-ho on the idea. Others want a seat at the table to watch what happens.

District 7 is on both sides, depending whom you ask.

The commissioners are considering hiring an outside consultant. Not everyone agrees that it’s a necessary step. Those who support it want to find someone who can work for free.

“There’s sometimes emotions and personalities that clash,” Waugh said. “I would love to see someone come in to discuss with us what our differences might be and how we can alleviate those interfering with department business.”

The firefighters union in recent month has accused the commissioners of unprofessional and embarrassing behavior.

At one point, three members of the board voted for Commissioner Neil Doherty to resign. Doherty refused.

Meanwhile, the city of Bothell is planning an annexation that could take over a good chunk of District 7’s turf. Several commissioners also are up for election in November. That could mean still more shifts in leadership.

District officials said they hope to work out an agreement with Bothell. They stand to lose $1.5 million in property tax revenue each year. Knapp, the board’s new chairman, lives in the area that could be annexed. He would be cut out of the district if the annexation goes through.

With Eastman gone, former assistant fire chief Gary Meek has been serving as interim chief. The commissioners agreed Meek would stay there at least until the end of June. At least one said he expected Meek to stay there much longer.

For now, Meek is trying to get everyone back on the same page, he said Monday. He’s been meeting with the commissioners, union representatives and fire crews. There are many layers of communication that need work, he said.

What’s most important now is for everyone at the district to talk about what has happened and what’s ahead, he said. He wants to rebuild trust and confidence.

Everyone at the district will have to work together, Meek said. There are too many uncertainties ahead.

Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com