I know very little about Fire District Commissioner Frank Cardinale, but on July 28 during our first joint meeting with the Fire District to discuss integration, Commissioner Cardinale showed me everything I need to know about him. He is disrespectful, attacking, accusatory, aggressive, and clearly not interested in getting to know our new hospital district board or being remotely collaborative. He also chose to not show his face for our joint video meeting, but he clearly could see all of us. Thinking his audio was “muted”, he chose to speak in a way which showed not only absolute disrespect for our board chair, Anna Lisa Lindstrom, but he demonstrated his misogyny and the culture he chooses to live in, by calling Chair Lindstrom a “bitch”. And by the way, Commissioner Cardinale never owned that he made this comment during the meeting. However, it was confirmed moments later by Board Chair Bob Jarman.

No one on the fire district side took a stance on calling out their colleague for this behavior during the PHD meeting. That was a disappointment.

I have attended two fire district board meetings when Cardinale has called in. I understand he lives on the island about half time and usually calls in to the steering committee meetings and fire district meetings. Does this benefit our community, our public, our taxpayers? He may have experience as a retired Fire Chief from San Francisco, but as a taxpayer on San Juan Island for the better part of 40 years, I don’t want him representing me.

I have understood that Commissioner Albert Olsen believes our EMS is “dysfunctional” and that he sees no value in Community Paramedicine and is not interested in funding it. This was heard at a social function last year here on the island. As a Commissioner for San Juan Public Hospital District 1, I would not consider moving forward with integration with this leadership and philosophy.

There will have to be major changes on the Fire District Board before I would consider integration with the Fire District.

PHD Commissioner Trish Lehman

San Juan Island