Seven applicants have indicated interest in filling the two seats left empty on the Central Platte Fire Protection District’s board with the deaths of two board members late last month.
Tuesday was the deadline for applicants to file for possible appointment to the board. Central Platte Fire’s attorneys, Welch and Webb of Platte City, collected candidate qualifications and will now forward the information to the office of Platte County Circuit Court presiding judge James Van Amburg.
Board members Paul Regan and Stanley George both died Thursday, Jan. 31 in unrelated circumstances. Regan died at North Kansas City Hospital while Stanley died later the same day at his Platte City home. George began his association with Central Platte Fire at 18 years of age and served 55 years as a firefighter and board member. Regan’s history with the board was similar, serving decades as a firefighter and board member.
Mike Ashcraft, the only remaining member of the board, was himself first appointed after longtime board member Junior Coons died in 2012. With only one member left on the three-member board, board duties have been turned over to the Circuit Court until new members can be appointed.
Board members serve six year terms, and the new members appointed by Van Amburg will serve until the next biennial election and may run for election to the unexpired terms of Regan and George.
Central Platte Fire provides fire and emergency medical services to the Platte City and Tracy areas. The volunteer fire department has two fire stations — one in downtown Platte City and the other at Interurban and Winan Roads east of Platte City. The district, headquartered in Platte City, is staffed by 30 members and 14 apparatus to respond to fire, ems and rescue calls.