The Point Roberts fire district board of commissioners has called a special meeting for 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 29 at the Benson Road fire hall. The purpose of the meeting, according to the agenda provided to the All Point Bulletin, is to accept the minutes of the August 22 special meeting, the tendering of David Gellatly's resignation from the board, appoint a chair, review EMS level of service and to initiate a return to the authority of the Whatcom County medical director, Dr. Marvin Wayne.

The board also intends to convene into executive session to "evaluate the qualifications of the applicant for chief, to review the performance of the interim chief and to discuss the terms of an individual employment agreement based on those qualifications and performance pursuant to RCW 42.30.110(1)(g)."

It is not exactly clear what the board intends to discuss in private. With only a few days under his belt, it wouldn't seem that interim fire chief Chris Carleton has much of a performance to review. And, according to RCW 42.30.140(4), discussion ... of salaries, wages, and other conditions of employment ... shall occur in a meeting open to the public, and when a governing body elects to take final action hiring, setting the salary of an individual employee or class of employees, or discharging or disciplining an employee, that action shall be taken in a meeting open to the public.

The board is allowed to "evaluate the qualifications of an applicant or to review the performance of an employee" but If the board follows the rules, it should be a short executive session indeed.

After the executive session, the board may or may not take action on Carleton's interim status and contract.