Effective June 22, Duncan has called an end to 32+ years on the Lummi Island fire and emergency response team. He served the last 20 of those as the island’s Fire Chief. His last day to appear at work at the Fire Hall was May 18 when he agreed to step aside while on paid administrative leave.
Bill Lee, chair of the district’s Board of Commissioners, said that the governing group named Assistant Chief Michael Lish as Acting Chief until further notice.
Bill noted that the commissioners have sole authority to conduct a search and appoint a new chief. He said that in the meantime Acting Chief Lish fills that role with a very full plate in the transition. The district’s No. 1 front burner issue—dealing with the complexities of a necessary levy as the primary source of funding the voluntary fire department.
While the announcement of Chief McLane’s retirement appeared suddenly after a Board of Commissioners meeting May 22, it was not unexpected. The commissioners worked with him through several executive sessions in April and May to arrive at his decision and timing to retire.
Public record minutes of the District 11 Commission sessions appear on the lummiislandfire.org website: https://lummiislandfire.com/commissioners
Duncan released a statement to islanders on May 25 through the LICA email distribution known as Brown Betty. He cited a diagnosis of severe arthritis in his back—a condition very detrimental to the physical demands of his role in managing and participating in emergency responses to fire, medical, and other 911 calls.
You can read his full statement here.
During their regular monthly meeting (held the 2nd Tuesday of each month) of May 18 the commissioners passed a motion stating that by mutual agreement they “placed Chief McLane on non-disciplinary leave effective immediately pending a separation agreement.”
The board revealed that expeditiously to the other Battalion Commanders—Ass’t Chief Lish and John Granger, the Division Chief of EMS & Disaster Prep the last 44 years—and the 15 volunteer certified firefighter/EMTs. And also the six-person Disaster Preparedness Division.
Then, after a special meeting on May 22—mostly in executive session—the commissioners made a public notice of a separation agreement effective 1 month later. (That was when Duncan had already planned to start a vacation that he takes every summer to help maintain a rural property that has been in his family for generations in the Northeast.)
June 22 was the date set in the Board of Commissioners’ notice for Mike Lish to assume the position of Acting Chief in his 17th year on the force. He and part-time district secretary Lisa Lish have served as the only other paid employees besides Chief McLane.