Dear Editor

At the overflowing and rambunctious March 10th public meeting of our fledgling Aeneas Valley Fire District 16, a Petition was presented signed by nearly 70 tax-paying residents. Passions were high and tempers flared on ‘both sides of the aisle.’ In times like these, level heads need to prevail. It would be good for all of us to remember these words found in Washington’s Public Meetings Act:

The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may maintain control over the instruments that they have created. (RCW 42.56.030)

The district commissioners have promised to respond at the April 14 public meeting to the ten points of the petition. If level heads prevail and flexibility can be evidenced by all parties, a community spirit of cooperation can lead to a resolution of differences. After all, isn’t adequate protection from fire the primary concern of all of us?

The petitioner,

Bob and Lucy Bauer

Jim and Reva Eisenbarth

Gordon and Jan Smith

Nadia Aronson and Mort Yanow

Aeneas Valley