Two King County Fire District 37 commissioners were sworn in Jan. 19 during a short ceremony that preceded the monthly District 37 meeting of commissioners.
District comissioners Allan Barrie and Mike Denbo were both elected to the board for the first time, though both have been serving after being appointed to fill the positions of former Commissioners Tom Sawyer and Bill Stewart, respectively.
Fire District 37 serves Covington and parts of unincorporated King County next to Covington and Kent, including the Panther Lake area. The city of Kent provides firefighters to the fire district through a contract agreement.
Barrie’s election will complete the term of office for Sawyer. The two commissioners, along with Commission Chair Pat Riordan, comprise King County Fire District 37’s Board.
Sawyer served on the board for many years, but retired after a portion of King County Fire District 37, which included his residence, was annexed into Auburn. The incorporating of this area made him ineligible to continue on the board. Stewart retired after serving nine years on the board. Both retired commissioners are remembered for their energy, dedication, and loyalty to the residents and issues of the fire district.
Barrie, a resident of Covington, has been active in the community for many years. In addition to serving on the District 37 Commission, he also is involved in Community Emergency Response Team training, was a member of the Regional Fire Authority Stakeholders Group for Kent Fire/Fire District 37, and is a licensed HAM radio operator trained to assist during a disaster where normal communication methods are not available. In 2007 he received an Outstanding Community Service Award from the Kent Fire Department.
Denbo joined the board Jan. 20, 2009. He served on the Regional Fire Authority Exploratory Committee which, he feels, gave him some insights into the opportunities and challenges facing our community. Denbo has lived in Fire District 37 for 24 years. His term of office is for six years.
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