KPFD Update: Conflict Between Commissioners Escalates

If commissioners are making bad decisions and are being rude, we’re very close to a resolution censure vote.”

Weeks of mounting tension inside the Key Peninsula Fire District board of commissioners spilled into public view during a Feb. 10 board meeting, when a heated exchange between two commissioners led to a police report. 

The conflict involved Commissioner John Kelly and newly elected Commissioner Colleen Mullen. Board Chair Randy Takehara said the incident reflects the strain that has been building within the board in recent weeks.

“It’s been a stress on everybody,” Takehara said. “Individuals are making decisions not conducive to a work environment.”

Tensions rose during a review of the district’s code of conduct when Mullen called Kelly’s remarks “unprofessional” after Kelly said a section of the policy was necessary because “You don’t know what kind of freak you may hire some day, so you’ll want to have all your bases covered.”

Kelly responded, “Let’s go and talk about unprofessional … because I’m locked and loaded.”

Mullen later filed a police report with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, calling the comment a threat.  

Kelly told Key Peninsula News he often uses what is described as “charged language” and said the phrase was a figure of speech referring to emails from Mullen to staff and other commissioners that he called disrespectful and aggressive. He said he was prepared to share them publicly. KP News filed public records requests for the emails related to the dispute and the police report. 

Takehara said Kelly’s comment was inappropriate, but emphasized the conflict did not stem from a single moment.

“Any of those vitriol(ic) comments (from Mullen and Kelly) can never be condoned by the board,” he said.

Later in the meeting, the board entered a closed session with its attorney to discuss a legal matter. When the session ended, according to a witness, Mullen exited visibly upset, using profanity, voicing anger, and leaving before the commissioners reconvened in public session. The content of executive sessions is confidential under state law.

Takehara said the continued conflict is undermining the board’s ability to function cohesively.

“If commissioners are making bad decisions and are being rude, we’re very close to a resolution censure vote,” he said. “Does that help create a team environment? Absolutely not.”

When contacted after the meeting, Mullen referred KP News to the police report.

In that report, after viewing a video recording of the meeting, the responding officer wrote, “At the end of the discussion, I saw that the words John used were, ‘I'm locked and loaded.’ While ‘locked and loaded’ is a term (that) has its origins in firearms handling, it can also generally mean ‘ready to go.’ In my estimation, John was using the term in the sense of being ‘ready to go’ and not in the sense of having a firearm and being ready to shoot someone.”

The officer then spoke to Mullen. “Colleen told me that John said something about a ‘double barrel,’ and I told Colleen that John did not use those words. Colleen then said John used words similar to ‘locked and loaded.’ I asked Colleen why she thought those words conveyed a threat, and Colleen said John meant, ‘He was locked and loaded to hurt me.’ I asked Colleen why she thought John meant he was going to hurt her, and she said because he was ‘rocking back and forth’ and because he wasn’t happy about what she was saying about a policy.”

The officer then spoke to Kelly. “John indicated he had information and documentation regarding what he believed to be inappropriate or bad behavior on Colleen’s part, and he was ready to use it. John told me his household is ‘anti-gun’ and that he doesn’t own a gun.”

Septic Issue Slows Calahan Property Sale

Repairs to the failing septic system at the Calahan property appear to be moving forward, but time may be tight.

Commissioner Stan Moffett said Hemley’s Septic Service is waiting on permits from Pierce County and is hoping to complete repairs before the end of the feasibility period tied to the property’s sale. The county required the repairs be made before KPFD could sell the property.

Moffett said the board may have to decide soon if it needs to approach buyer Taechang LLC owner John Park about extending that period, but acknowledged Park may decline. Estimated costs for repairing the septic tank are about $24,000.   

Sawaya Reassigned

Fire Chief Nick Swinhart announced that he had reassigned Battalion Chief Bill Sawaya to division chief of support and technical services, filling a position that has been vacant for several years. 

Battalion chiefs supervise shifts of firefighters (there are three at KPFD) and may respond to emergencies, while division chiefs are part of the administration, working on specific needs of the district, such as training or equipment replacement. 

Swinhart said the district will begin its promotional process starting in March to fill the battalion chief position, which may allow for further promotions of subordinate officers or firefighters. 

In a public statement, Swinhart said, “This was a lateral administrative assignment within the Fire Chief’s authority. There is no change in pay or benefits, and emergency service delivery is not affected. Personnel matters are not something the district comments on publicly.”

Sawaya was hired in 1997 after serving as a volunteer and is the most experienced battalion chief at KPFD.