Thank you to everyone who engaged and voted in the August primary! I am honored by so much support, and grateful for the opportunity to move on to the general election for Orcas Fire Commissioner.

I look forward to community discussions and continued feedback from all our department stakeholders in the coming months. I will continue working to further transparent governance and thorough assessment, while listening to all perspectives along the way. Orcas is lucky to have such an engaged community—especially where there are strongly divergent perspectives and opinions on the issues. All sides are important to hear and understand.

I would also like to extend sincere thanks to my fellow candidates for a strong primary that kept the issues at the forefront. Leith’s dedication to the department has been undeniable and I reached out to thank her for her service. Toni and I have offered our congratulations to one another, and I greatly respect her shared vision to actively seek input from our department and community members in the coming months. I hope that all viewpoints regarding OIFR’s services and funding will be heard and considered in future decisions made by the board. If anyone has perspectives they’d like to share, please visit www.KateforOrcas.com to reach out to me!

Kate Hansen

Orcas Island