I think it’s really fishy that the three public hospital district commissioners whose terms end this year are trying to ram something through before they go. The Citizens Advisory Committee recommended a prudent, thoughtful, two-year process for merging the EMS with the fire district, and these folks are trying to do it as their last act before leaving the board, with at least half of the necessary prerequisites still unfinished.

They know quite well that the newly-elected board members are all opposed to rushing this decision but instead support the recommendation of the Citizens Advisory Committee. And they are the ones who will have to live with and enforce the agreement.

The chair of the fire district has said his board will not vote for a rushed merger, and I thank him for that.

Many of us can see no reason why this merger has to be implemented in the next few weeks.

Sandy Rabinowitz

Friday Harbor