Candidates seek seat on fire board

Three candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for the two-year unexpired term of Position 1 on the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District (SCSRFPD). They are Kristie Miller, Stratton Poindexter, and Ken Jones.

Chuck Newport is running unopposed for re-election to Position 4, and Bill Rainey is the incumbent in Position 5 up for re-election.

Kristie Miller retired from her position as Sisters District Ranger after 35 years with the U.S. Forest Service in Washington and Oregon. Miller grew up in Dallas, Oregon and Wasco County. Her mother’s family has lived in Maupin for several generations. Miller received her A.A. degree from Blue Mountain College and her B.S. from Oregon State University.

“I’ve been retired now for a couple of years and have the time to devote to the board,” Miller told The Nugget. “It’s time to start doing something, and when I saw this position open I thought I have some skills to bring to this. My experience with wildland fires and working directly with the Sisters Fire District on them is valuable. I have a lot of experience coordinating with other agencies and can bring to the board my understanding of government policies and regulations with which they must work.”

Ken Jones retired after 47 years practicing law. He was a captain for four years as a member of JAG in the Air Force and maintained a private law practice from 1976-2017. During that time he served as city attorney in eight different municipalities. He also acted as an attorney for the Oregon Fire District Directors Association, Oregon Fire Chiefs Association, and Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association, as well as approximately 90 special districts, the majority of which were fire districts.

Jones’ education included a B.A. from Washington State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Oregon Law School.

“I am running for the fire district board because I want to extend my 40-year involvement with fire districts. I can bring that experience to the board here in Sisters,” Jones said.

Stratton Poindexter moved to Oregon in 1974, working as a timber faller for 18 years before a 20-year career with Redmond Fire and Rescue. He moved to Sisters two years ago when he grew tired of the congestion in Bend and Redmond. He began his career with Redmond Fire as a volunteer for three years before becoming a paid firefighter/paramedic for 20 years. He was made a captain in 1999.

When asked why he is running for the fire district board, Poindexter referred to the fact, “We pay the highest tax in all of Central Oregon for our fire district. In Redmond, the rate is $1.74 per thousand dollars in valuation. In Sisters, it’s $2.73 per thousand. I’d like to know more about how the money is being spent.”

He went on, “I think we need more paid personnel. I’d like to work with Roger [Chief Johnson] and the community to find a way to make that happen. Like most departments, we have plenty of apparatus but not enough personnel.”

Since retiring, Poindexter volunteered with Central Oregon Veterans Outreach in Bend, but now that he is in Sisters, he figured volunteering for the fire board would be a good thing.

“Sisters is a great community and the fire district does a lot for the community. I’d like to be a part of that,” he said.

Chuck Newport, running unopposed for re-election to Position 4, is a general contractor in residential and commercial construction. He is currently serving as the president of the board of directors for the SCSRFPD. Newport received his B. A. from Portland State University.

Retired attorney and senior corporate executive Bill Rainey is unopposed in his bid for re-election to Position 5. Prior to his retirement, he served as senior vice president, general counsel, and executive committee member for a variety of companies throughout the U. S. He has extensive board experience with numerous nonprofits, most recently on the state level with the American Red Cross, the Deschutes Land Trust, Kiwanis, and Central Electric Cooperative.

Rainey’s government experience, aside from the Sisters Fire District, includes Deschutes County Planning Commission, Deschutes County Search and Rescue, and as an officer in the U. S. Army Reserve Signal Corps and JAG, with a rank of major when he left the reserves.

A native of Reedsport, Rainey received his B. A. in U. S. Government from Harvard and his J. D. from University of Michigan Law School.