Mike Mingee, a former part-time fire code technician for Clallam County Fire District 3, was sworn in as a fire commissioner to the district’s three-person board on May 2.

Mingee takes over following Steven Chinn’s resignation in early April to spend more time with family.

Commissioners Bill Miano and Jeff Nicholas appointed Mingee on April 18 after he expressed interest in running for the soon-to-be vacant seat during filing week May 15-19.

Mingee put his notice into the district the same day he was appointed to the board, fire district leaders said.

“I thank the board for their trust in me; I won’t let you down,” Mingee said on May 2.

“It’s an honor. Something I really appreciate.”

Fellow commissioners also agreed to let him continue serving as a volunteer firefighter in Diamond Point.

Mingee served 40 years in the fire service, including as fire chief of East Jefferson Fire & Rescue and the City of Port Townsend. He joined Fire District 3’s Station 35 in Diamond Point as a lieutenant in 2018, and in 2021 he was hired as fire code technician.

Mingee’s appointment comes during a time of changes for the district. Fire chief Ben Andrews recently moved to remote work on special projects leading up to his retirement in April 2024, with assistant chief Dan Orr serving as interim fire chief until a new chief is hired.

No timeline has been set for that, Orr said.

The district is also in-process of considering organizational changes to its leadership structure and future fire station while implementing its new battalion chief leadership team, and hiring/recruiting seven firefighters, promoting an open captain spot, and seeking a new fire inspector position.

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