Local boards scramble to fill Trachsel's shoes

Two Sisters community organizations recently filled board of directors vacancies left by the unexpected death of Charles Trachsel.

Trachsel, who suffered a fatal heart attack February 1, served as chief of the Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District for over 30 years, followed by a four-year term on its board of directors. He had also just begun his second year as a board member for the Squaw Creek Irrigation District (SCID).

Fire chief Chuck Cable explained that Trachsel "was appointed to his (board) position in Spring '95 for a term that was ironically left vacant by another board member, Don Johnson, who passed away (that) spring."

According to Cable, Trachsel was slated to run for position number three on the CRFPD board in the March 9 election.

"Charlie was running for that position, and after he passed away we removed his name from the ballot," Cable said. Jack Versteeg was running against Trachsel for the position, and Trachsel's death left Versteeg running uncontested. He was subsequently elected to the position, which begins July 1.

Cable said the CRFPD board of directors could now appoint Versteeg to fill the last few months of Trachsel's term.

"The board has the option of appointing the new person who was elected to (Trachsel's) position, and they may very well do that," explained Cable.

Versteeg was born and raised in Salem where he later worked for the Salem fire department. Although he never had the opportunity to meet Trachsel, his praise for the organization was high.

"It's one of the best volunteer districts I've ever seen," he said. "I should be helping the community the best I can to help create safety for the (firefighters)."

Trachsel's board seat at the Squaw Creek Irrigation District was filled at SCID's February board meeting, according to board chair Lee Christensen.

"Mid-term replacements are appointed by the board," Christensen explained. "We wanted somebody who had shown an interest in the business of the district, and at the February board meeting we appointed Bob Lambert."

Lambert arrived in Sisters in 1991. He served as assistant chief under Trachsel at the Cloverdale Fire Department and was honored to be appointed to fill the SCID board vacancy.

"Charlie and I were real close friends," said Lambert. "(His) death came as a sudden shock to everybody, and I felt kind of privileged being asked."

SCID office manager Joyce Burdick confirmed that Trachsel was elected to a three-year term which began January 1, 1998. She said that Lambert will serve until the next election period, when he may be appointed to the remainder of Trachsel's term, "if no other applications are turned in."