Citing stress and a need to be with family, Steven Chinn — an experienced firefighter and elected commissioner — has resigned from Clallam County Fire District 3’s commissioner board.

The fire commission board chair announced his resignation in an April 4 letter, saying the position is impacting his health and that he is under constant stress from the position.

“In 34 years in the fire service, it’s been an honor serving with every service member,” Chinn said in a phone interview.

“To spend that much time with men and women as dedicated as them, I’m in awe. I feel blessed to have had that time with them. They’re true friends.”

Commissioners were tentatively set to appoint a replacement on April 18, after press deadline.

Chinn has served in fire service for 34 years, starting as a volunteer with Jefferson County Fire District 5 in 1989 and serving Sequim from 1993-2014 as a volunteer firefighter/ EMT and later as a captain. He fought wildland fires across the western U.S. as a wildland firefighter for 17 years, and served as Fire District 3’s Volunteer Coordinator from 2010-2014.

Chinn was appointed in July 2016 to the board of commissioners to fill the retirement of Richard Houts, and was elected in 2018. His position is up for election this year.

Chinn said after an April 4 commissioner meeting he was thinking, “we’ve only got so much time in our lives, and I was getting stressed.”

Many important district decisions were coming up or happening, he said, such as a potential reorganization of leadership positions, looming retirements and considerations for new/remodeling fire stations.

“I started thinking about life,” Chinn said. “I’m eating myself up. That night, when it was 1 a.m., I got out of bed and wrote my resignation and said I was done.”

Another factor, Chinn said, was the Jan. 12 death of ​​Capt. Charles “Chad” Cate — a friend, former pupil of Chinn, and fellow wrestling coach.

“I’ve experienced some of the most tearful times of my life,” Chinn said. “There’s not a day I don’t think about him.”

Chinn, who has coached for 25 years, took over the Sequim High School wrestling program for Cate following his death and plans to coach the team one more year.

“(I want to) keep his legacy going, and plan after next season to pass the torch and be 100 percent retired,” he said.

His family also factored into his decision, saying, “my relationship with my family is more important than anything; I’ve short changed my family for way too long.”

“At 73, I need to treasure life,” he said. “I want to do something that’s for me and for my family.

“For the fire district, I felt I’ve done my time.”

Chinn was also an elementary and middle school teacher for 31 years between Chimacum and Sequim School Districts. After retiring from teaching, he was a fire crew supervisor for the Department of Natural Resources for two years.

“His energy, quick wit and dedication to the Fire Service is not easily replaced and his absence will be felt by everyone who has been privileged enough to work with him,” District 3 fire chief Ben Andrews said.

Next steps

Bill Miano, vice-chair of the fire commission, said Chinn’s decision came as a surprise as he participated in the April 4 board meeting and had scheduled things with the commission.

The two of them “hit it off” because of their similar firefighter backgrounds, Miano said, and they communicated well.

With the resignation, remaining commissioners Miano and Jeff Nicholas have 90 days to appoint someone or the Clallam County commissioners must appoint someone.

However, Miano said someone — he chose not to name prior to the scheduled appointment — approached the commissioners weeks ago about potentially running for Chinn’s position this May.

He said he and Nicholas plan to appoint the person at the April 18 meeting if they accept. They’ll also vote for a new chairman and vice-chair.

Chinn’s resignation comes as new programs are being implemented, such as a battalion chief program beginning in May that has a 24 hour leader managing the day’s operations.

“It’s a growth period for the district,” Miano said.

“I look at it as an opportunity for the board. This is why we get elected to help determine the level of service for the district.”

He said calls for service should improve as they add positions and capabilities, while long-term planning might experience intermittent pauses.

“I’m excited for the future,” Miano said. “It’s a pivotal time for the board.”

Andrews announced earlier this spring that he plans to retire in 2024.

“It’s a big opportunity, a new CEO,” Miano said about hiring a new chief. “It’s a big search and commitment to shape the future. For me, that’s exciting.”

For more information about Clallam County Fire District 3, visit ccfd3.org.

Updated April 18: Commissioners appointed Mike Mingee of Diamond Point as his replacement on April 18. He plans to resign as part-time fire inspector and tentatively start as a commissioner May 2 to ful fill the remainder of Chinn’s term, he said. He also plans to file for the position in May.