Fire Board tabs Callagy, McCaffrey to fill pair of vacancies
Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter
The North Lyon County Fire Protection District Board of Directors named Mike Callagy, Jr. and Greg McCaffrey to fill two vacancies on the board left by a pair of resignations.
The District received seven applications for the two vacancies, and interviewed four candidates at its July 16 meeting. Three candidates were not present for the meeting.
The vacancies were created by the resignations of Matthew Johnson and Terrin Hicks.
Johnson submitted his resignation letter April 13 and effective July 13, stating that he is resigning because of the time and travel required by his new job.
Hicks submitted her resignation letter June 11, stating she no longer lives in the district.
Callagy, the owner and operator of the Fernley Grocery Outlet, and his wife Renee moved to Fernley about a year ago as they prepared to open the grocery store. Callagy quickly became active in the community, joining the Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce, and working with schools and other organizations. He said he was applying for the fire board position because he would like to do even more for the community.
McCaffrey served 41 years in emergency service, including 15 years as a registered nurse and mobile intensive care nurse, and he taught a paramedic course at Butte College in Chico, Calif, and a satellite paramedic program at Lake Almanor. He also served 10 years as fire chief in Sierra Valley, Calif. He moved to Fernley two years ago after retirement to care for his father, who owns a ranch.
Other candidates were Kevin Haywood, who has 27 years of experience in fire service in Alaska; Patrick Henry who has lived in Fernley since 2016 and said in his application letter proper budgeting and planning will be of utmost importance as the district navigates future growth; Paul Murphy, a former North Lyon firefighter/EMT who is a candidate in the general election for one of three vacant board seats; Debbie Skinner, a former North Lyon Fire Board member, and Kendall Cameron-Lash, a self-employed business owner who has served on several boards and committees. Henry, Murphy and Cameron-Lash were not at the meeting.
Board member Pat Hon said she was impressed with all seven candidates, but she said she preferred not having too many board members with fire service backgrounds.
“It needs to be diversified,” Hon said. “There needs to be leaders of the community, other professionals in the community that bring other skill sets to the board.”
Hon made a motion to appoint McCaffrey, which was approved 3-0, and Director William Riesen made the motion to appoint Callagy, which also passed 3-0.
“Any of you would be an asset to the board,” Hon said. “I can’t believe what strong candidates we have.”
