With the 2018 general election season in full swing, those vying for seats on the Sedona Fire District’s Governing Board were asked a variety of questions pertaining to issues facing the district — both today and in the future.

Age: 70

Occupation: Board Member, EchoStar

Years in district: 25 years

Q: Why do you feel you are qualified to serve on the SFD Governing Board?

I I ran a successful retail and wholesale operation prior to 1980. In 1980, I founded Consumer Satellite Systems, retail and distribution. There were 10 to 15 of us who pioneered the satellite TV industry. I expanded distribution locations with inventory, showrooms, sales offices and our own truck fleet to service over 3,000 dealers headquartered in a 140,000-square-foot facility in Indianapolis.

We distributed satel­lite TV equipment and consumer electronic prod­ucts including DirecTV. I developed dealer training manuals and held salesseminars for our dealers. I designed custom inventory control and sales software. I built three buildings and refurbished a 140,000-square-foot building in Indianapolis, all of which are in use today.

In 1986, I started a programming company servicing 400,000-plus satellite customers in North America with custom-designed billing soft­ware which I designed. I merged the business in 1998 and retired — sort of.

I joined the EchoStar Board of Directors in 2002 and serve on the Board today on various committees including chairman of the Audit committee. DISH Network is our sister company.

• I believe I have excellent people skills.
• My experience is organiza­tion, problem solving, construc­tion, software development, truck fleet management, communications systems and finance.
• Volunteer pilot for Veterans Airlift Command.
• President of Back o’ Beyond Homeowners Association for over 10 years.

Q: If elected what would be your top priority?

Prioritizing the decision-making process with No. 1 being the most important:

1. Will our decision enhance public safety?

2. What is the cost to the public? We will be the taxpayers’ advocates.

3. Have we analyzed all the options?

4. Have we challenged manage­ment’s “needs” with a “why” and what are the other options if any?

5. Stop rubber-stamping major decisions

Q: What do you feel is the biggest issue the SFD is facing?

The biggest issue is moving men and equipment to the scene of an emergency in the shortest possible time, and that is being hindered by traffic congestion, especially in the high tourist months. A major issue is the evacuation of Oak Creek Canyon and setting up fire stop points.

If a catastrophe occurs in Oak Creek Canyon, not only will lives be threatened, but massive property damage will occur and the beauty of the canyon will be a tremendous local and tourism loss.

Q: Last year a $17.9 million bond failed to pass, but it’s been determined that there are improve­ment needs to various fire stations. How would you address these deficiencies?

Each improvement must be evalu­ated and prioritized. Property values are going up, which raises the revenue automatically to the Fire District, and in fact the mil rate went down in the current budget.

Management should present a fire station needs and a priority remodel project list. Station 4 has already been evaluated. A remodel plan should be formalized with target goals for each modification and repair based on necessity with the number one goal in mind of public safety, taxpayer cost and employee benefits.

Launch a SFD volunteer program to do routine things that our fire­fighters are currently doing like assisting our customers, the public, in safety checks and smoke alarm battery replacement. Volunteering is an asset that we are not taking advan­tage of.

Q: Would you be in favor of a joint venture with state and federal agencies to build a new station at Slide Rock to address the needs of residents and visitors? Explain why or why not.

I would always favor financial assistance from the state or the feds if available. Considering the horrible traffic issues in the canyon around Slide Rock adding the congestion of a station makes no sense. We need to understand how Station 5 is manned, and what it needs as it is a three-bay station, and then seriously look at reactivating Station 7 up the canyon even if it means recruiting a volunteer group to man a pumper. Getting water on a fire early is the key to suppression and containment. Also reducing the ISO insurance ratings of the