STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
Former Blaine County Commissioner Sarah Michael has been tabbed to fill the commissioner vacancy for the Ketchum Rural Fire Protection District.
Michael will fill the commissioner vacancy in Subdistrict No. 1 that was created when Chris Stephens stepped down after 25 years of service.
During Stephens’ tenure the Ketchum Rural Fire District built the Greenhorn Gulch and the Griffin Butte fire stations, both of which provide affordable housing for firefighters. The district also maintained and kept fire equipment and trucks up to date and supported paramedic training for fire personnel.
Jed Gray, the chairman of the Ketchum Rural Fire Protection District, said that he and commissioner Earl Engelmann were unanimous in their selection of Michael.
“Sarah has been involved in the county government, and I think that could be critical for one of my biggest goals, and that’s consolidation,” said Gray. “Knowing how these things work I think that she will be a good commissioner.”
Michael said she looked forward to taking part in the ongoing dialog about consolidation of fire services in the north valley.
“I am also very excited about the mission of the district and the district’s exemplary record of providing fire services to the north Wood River Valley where I have lived for more than 20 years,” she added.
Michael will be sworn in at the next meeting of the Ketchum Rural Fire Protection District at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, at Sun Valley Hall.
Michael has been quite the adventurer, hiking from the Himalayan Mountains to Alaska, where she and her husband Bob Jonas spent more than two years traveling by sea kayak, foot and dog sled.
As Blaine County commissioner from 2001 to 2008, she spearheaded the creation of the Mountain Rides Transportation Authority. She formed the Nordic and Backcountry Skiers Alliance in 1998 to work with snowmobilers to establish areas that would be off-limits to snowmobilers. And she founded and raised $100,000 seed money for the Winter Wildlands Alliance to serve as a voice for human-propelled winter sports.
She even got all five city governments in the mini-Cassia area, which had no public transportation, to budget money for taxi vouchers for elderly and disabled for shopping and doctor visits. For these efforts and more, she was honored an Idaho Woman of the Year by the Boise-based Idaho Business Review.