I am writing to urge the citizens served by North Kitsap Fire & Rescue (NKF&R) to re-elect Gillian Gregory as Fire Commissioner, Position 4. As the district’s former fire chief, I worked closely with Gregory for many years. I greatly admire her leadership skills, and her experience is invaluable.

A driving force behind the district’s long-range planning efforts, Gregory was integral in meeting the challenges posed by declining volunteerism and community growth to steer the district’s evolution into the stable and highly reputable team of professionals it is today. Her commitment to providing the public with plenty of information about the district and its needs has helped earn voter approval for ballot measures that provided the necessary resources to implement long-range plans. Most importantly, careful stewardship of these resources has positioned the district to weather the current economic climate without layoffs or additional requests for funds.

The job of fire commissioner is largely uncompensated, and requires significant commitment to fully understand the many complex factors affecting emergency services while protecting the public’s interest. Gregory has kept this commitment, acquiring the essential knowledge and experience to lead NKF&R into the future. Please join me in voting to retain Gregory as fire commissioner.

Paul T. Nichol

Kingston