As part of Noozhawk’s Nov. 3 election coverage, we are publishing Q&As with board candidates for some special districts and education districts, including the Montecito Fire Protection District.
Candidate answers may have been lightly edited for spelling and formatting, but are otherwise presented as they were submitted.
The Montecito Fire Protection District is an independent fire department for the Montecito area, with two stations crewed by firefighting and paramedic personnel at all times.
The department also has its own dispatch center, fire marshal, and administrative staff.
Four candidates are running for three seats on the Board of Directors, which has five members.
Candidate Michael “Mike” Lee
Noozhawk: Why are you running for the Montecito Fire Protection District Board of Directors?
Michael Lee: I have served on the Montecito Fire Board for the past five years. I presently serve as Vice President and co-member of the Financial Committee and past member of Labor Committee.
I feel the Board has worked together to keep the department in excellent financial condition. I hope to continue my position on the Board and to keep our district in excellent financial and operational readiness.
Noozhawk: What personal and/or work experience would you bring to the organization?
Lee: I am a 50-year resident and general contractor in this community. I also serve on the Land Use Committee for the Montecito Association. I feel it is important to support our district fire and safety departments.
My career in building involves interacting with many agencies, which directly effects the safety of our district. I have the perspective the district needs and also the past experience to be an effective Board member.
Noozhawk: What do you see as the top issue facing the district right now, and how would you address it?
Lee: No.1 is fire and safety. We live in an environment that is always going to have a risk of wildfires. This ongoing risk can be mitigated with a well-prepared fire department, but also with community involvement on an individual level. Fuel clearance, fire hardening of residences and preparation for emergencies are essential.
No. 2 is Fire Station 3. The department has worked on studies indicating the need for a station on the east end of Montecito, to meet their response times both for medical and fire. There are options to address this need and residents can express their support or opinions of this proposed plan.
No. 3 is financial responsibility. The department, under the current Board, has put a great deal of effort into maintaining a balanced budget. This includes our responsibility to well fund the pension obligations.
No. 4 is general emergency preparedness. Medical calls account for the majority of 9-1-1 calls and I feel as a Board member it is critically important to keep our station’s personnel well trained and equipped with the necessary support.
Noozhawk has published election Q&As with other Montecito Fire Protection District board candidates including:
Click here to read Noozhawk’s coverage in the Election 2020 section.