When Dick Fishel, 69, decided Sedona was the ideal place to retire from Scottsdale nine years ago, the Sedona Fire District played a huge role in his decision to move to the community.
What he learned about the district was impressive, and this is one reason Fishel is running for a seat on the SFD Governing Board. Fishel wants the district to maintain the same type service it has been providing.
Fishel spent six years in the National Guard Transport Unit before embarking on a career in human relations.
He worked with Motorola for five years, American Express for four years and was the regional human relations manager for Prudential for six years.
He was also the executive vice president for Western Human Resources and Associates.
Fishel purchased a portion of Western Human Resources and Associates and opened up Fishel Human Resources Associates after splitting the company in two.
Working in human relations most of his adult life has convinced Fishel he would be a huge asset to the district in budget matters.
He served on the personnel board for the city of Sedona, was the past treasurer of the Saddlerock Homeowner Association and served as an interim Governing Board member for the Sedona Fire District.
He is also involved in many different human resources organizations.
Fishel said he wants to ensure integrity and honor is returned back to the Governing Board.
He said past actions of two board members did a disservice to the rest of the Governing Board.
He also wants to find a way for the fire district to do more with less.
“I want to make the fire district more efficient and more effective with less revenue,” he said.
Fishel said he wants to continue the measures the fire chief has already implemented, like reducing overtime and its fleet of vehicles.
He said he wants a more efficient fire district while keeping the best fire service and equipment in the state.
The Chapel area station is extremely important. He said the congregation of his church, Christ Lutheran Church, voted to sell the land to the fire district a few years ago with a 55 percent vote.
Whether the station should be two-bay or three-bay still needs to be discussed.
“I understand the reasons for the three-bay station for future expansion, but I do think we are in a different economy right now. We need to review it,” he said.
The timing could never be better to build the station, since construction costs are down, Fishel said.
Fishel also opposes having a total volunteer fire department, but said the volunteers who served the community so well for years have to be thanked for their work.
“It’s a new world out there,” he said. “It’s a whole new ball game.”
There is little question overtime hours are too high, and trained volunteers could be used to decrease these hours, Fishel said.
The budget, he said, is a concern. He was not opposed to several of the cuts made in recent years, but objected to lowering the mill levy rate from $1.55 to $1.45 for the current year and department cuts.
While the Governing Board has a huge responsibility, all board members need to know who is really in charge.
“The taxpayers are the board’s boss,” he said.
Sedona Fire District Governing Board candidates’ profiles:
Bert Berkshire, published Oct. 1
David Blauert, published Oct. 1
Phyllis Erick, published Oct. 8
Dick Fishel, published Friday, Oct. 15
Douglas Fitzpatrick, published Friday, Oct. 15
