If you are calling about an Emergency:
For all emergencies, CALL 9-1-1.
Calling 9-1-1 accesses the Regional Emergency Response System.
The 9-1-1 dispatch operator will relay all relevant information to us locally,
as well as contacting any needed additional back-up resources.
The Colestin Rural Fire District can be reached:
By mail at: 1701 Colestin Road, Ashland, Oregon, 97520
By phone at: (541) 488-1768
By fax at: (541) 552-9617
By Email here at our website
Fire Chief and Assistant Chiefs:
Steve AVGERIS - CRFD Fire Chief
[No Assistant Chief(s) at this time.]
CRFD's Board of Directors:
For Special Districts Elections information, see below.
Position #1: Michelle ROOKER - member
Michelle Rooker was elected to this position in the May, 2021 Special Districts election; the current term runs until May, 2025. Previously, Michelle was the Board-appointed replacement for this position as of May, 2020, serving the remainder of Pam Haunschild's term ending in May, 2021. Michelle comes from a long-time local family, knows the area well, and helps to represent the mid-and lower Colestin valley communities within the fire district. We are very pleased to have her on the Board.
Previously, Pam Haunschild held this position until her resignation in March, 2020. She was re-elected in May 2017 to a 4-year term ending in May 2021. Prior to that, elected in May 2013 to a 4-year term until May
2017. Before 2013, Pam was the permanent Board-appointed replacement for this position since October, 2011,
succeeding Nancy Ames, finishing the remainder of that 4-year term from May, 2009 to May, 2013.
Previously, Nancy Ames was appointed by the Board to this position as a temporary
replacement for the 4-year term previously served by Cheri Avgeris.
Previously, Cheri Avgeris held this position, re-elected most recently in May, 2009. Cheri retired from serving on the Board
and from serving for 28 years with the Fire District in Jan., 2011 (see below).
Position #2: Peggy MOORE - member & Board Chair
Peggy Moore was re-elected in May, 2021 to another 4-year term ending in May, 2025. Previously re-elected in May 2017 to a 4-year term ending in May 2021. Previously re-elected in May, 2013, to a 4-year term
until 2017. Re-elected Board Chair by Board vote in May, 2013. Before that, re-elected in May, 2009, to another
4-year term until May, 2013. Re-elected Board Chair by Board vote
in Feb. 2011. Previously appointed, elected and re-elected to the
Board continuously since 1985 and has held the post of Board Chair,
except for a 2-year hiatus in the early 90s, for most of her tenure on the Board.
Position #3: Teri THOMAS - member & Treasurer
Re-elected in May 2019 to a 4-year term ending in May 2023. Previously: Re-elected in May 2015 to a 4-year term ending in May 2019; re-elected in May, 2011, to a 4-year term
until 2015. Re-elected Treasurer by Board vote in May, 2013. Previously re-elected to the Board in May, 2007 to a 4-year
term until May, 2011. Elected Treasurer by Board vote in Feb. 2011.
Position #4: Pam HAUNSCHILD - member, Secretary & CRFD Public Information Officer
Appointed 2/12/21 to serve for the remainder of the current term, until May, 2023. Pam graciously agreed to again serve on the Board following Brian Dwyer's resignation due to work commitments; the Board accepted Brian's resignation letter at the 2/12/21 Board meeting, and at the same meeting, formally appointed Pam to serve for the remainder of Brian's term.
The Board remains very appreciative of Brian's leadership in the District's annex property project and other work he has done for the District, and for his offer to continue helping as his time allows.
Previously, Brian was appointed by the Board at the Nov. 2019 meeting to replace Cindy Warzyn on the board, who resigned effective Dec. 1st due to moving out of the district. Brian will serve for the remaining three years of the 4-year term for this position, until May 2023.
Cindy served for over 10 years on the board as a member and as Vice-Chair, and the rest of the board remains very appreciative of her many years of service to our district, including her work and leadership on the District's annual community picnic.
Previously, Cindy was re-elected in May 2019 to a 4-year term ending in May 2023, re-elected in May 2015 to a 4-year term ending in May 2019, and first elected in May, 2011 to a 4-year term until
May, 2015. She was re-elected Board Vice-Chair in May, 2013, by Board vote.
Previously, Cindy was first appointed by Board vote in September, 2009, to replace
and complete the term begun May, 2007 until May, 2011, of resigned member
Carolyn Brafford. Cindy was elected Secretary by Board vote in Feb. 2011 and served in that capacity until May, 2013.
Position #5: Samantha Gelfand - member
The Board appointed Samantha Gelfand to Position #5, to serve for the remainder of Tod Davies' term (ending in May 2023), at the February, 2022, Board meeting. (Tod resigned effective 1/1/22.) Our most recent Board member, Samantha is a long-time resident and brings a balanced perspective and fresh energy to our Board. We are very pleased that she has agreed to serve, and look forward to working with her in the year ahead.
Previously, Tod Davies was re-elected to this position in May 2019 to a 4-year term ending in May 2023. Before that, she was appointed by the Board in September 2017 to serve the remainder of the term for this position
following Alissa Lipking's resignation. Tod is also a previous Board member (see below).
This position was previously held by Alissa Lipking, who resigned in September 2017
(as a result of moving out of the district). Tod was re-elected in May 2015 to a 4-year term
ending in May 2019. Before that, she was re-elected in May, 2013 to a 2-year term until
May, 2015. [This position became a 4-year term in May, 2015.]
Previously, Alissa was the Board-appointed permanent replacement
for this position as of November, 2011, to finish the remainder of
the term for this position (from May, 2009, to May, 2011).
Before Alissa, this position was held by Tod Davies,
who was Board-appointed in May, 2007, to replace and complete
the term begun May, 2007, of re-elected and subsequently resigned
member Mary Jo Trainor. Tod was re-elected Vice-Chair by Board
vote in Feb. 2011 until her resignation in Oct. 2011.
Adjunct Personnel:
Betsy BRADSHAW: Community Education & Outreach: Publications,
mailings & kiosks postings (fire season regulation updates,
fire safety & emergency preparedness info); crfd.org webmaster;
& mail list management; 2022 Budget Elector
Lisa BUTTREY: Fire Plan Committee Chair & Coordinator, 2022 Budget Officer, Fuels Reduction Project Coordinator, and Emergency Preparedness
Committee Coordinator
Karen DWYER: 2022 Budget Elector & Social Media Liaison
Sharron HALVORSON: 2022 Budget Elector
You can always contact us
if you
have any questions about the District, our policies, fire season restrictions, etc.,
beyond the information presented here on our website,
or if you have any other concerns or inquiries.
if you are
new to the Colestin - Mt. Ashland area and would like
to receive our fire season announcements and other occasional community
educational information, please email
us (c/o webmaster@crfd.org) with your name and snail-mail address.
if you are
not new but are not receiving our mailings, please let
us know, and help us correct our mailing list information.
You are also always welcome to e-mail
the webmaster with website feedback, problems, comments or inquiries.
Board Elections - Most Recent & Next:
The most recently held Special Districts Election was in May, 2021. In that election, the
Colestin Rural Fire District Board had two four-year positions open (Pos. 1, Pos. 2). Both incumbents were re-elected.
For official election results, see the Jackson
County Elections Office website's Election page.
Our next election for the CRFD Board is in May, 2023. All positions are now four-year terms.
The
filing period for candidates opens in February, 2023, and closes in March, 2023. See Board
Elections - General Info (just below) for filing information.
Board Elections - General Info:
Board elections for Special Districts, including volunteer fire districts,
are held by Jackson County, Oregon, and normally occur in spring (March
or May) of odd-numbered years.
Eligibility criteria for holding a seat on the Fire District's Board
is that one must have a local permanent (primary) address within the
district.
The filing date for anyone who is interested to file to run for the
Board is approx. two months before the election date (in March for elections held in May).
The filing fee to declare candidacy is $10; submitting
a nominating petition has no cost but must include signatures of at
least ten percent of the registered voters in the district based on
numbers in the last election.
To view open positions in a Special Districts Election, see the Jackson
County Special Elections page
(http://jacksoncountyor.org/clerk/Elections/Upcoming-Current-Elections/Special-Elections).
For further details and forms, and to submit paperwork
and the filing fee (or in lieu of the fee, a petition with at least
ten percent of the number of registered voters in the district in the
last election), contact the Jackson County Clerk's Elections Center office at 1101 W. Main St., Suite #201, Medford, OR, 97501, between 8:00 am
and 4:00 pm on weekdays at ph#: 541-774-6148.
Election and filing information and all necessary documents,
including a Candidates Manual and the filing Form (SEL 190), can
also be downloaded from Jackson County's website on
the Elections
Forms page (http://jacksoncountyor.org/clerk/Elections/Election-Forms).
(Scroll down to the "Candidate Packet" for the appropriate election and date.)
Forms and filing information are also available from our Fire Chief, Steve Avgeris;
he can be reached at 541-488-1768 or cell# 541-821-8339.
Cheri Avgeris retirement & Board resignation:
Cheri Avgeris announced her retirement from the Fire
District, and thus from the Board, in January, 2011.
Cheri has served the District as a volunteer in numerous capacities
since the District received its official charter from Jackson County
in August of 1983. Even before this, following the Colestin Fire in
August, 1981, she was also instrumental in forming the District with
other neighbors, and getting the first phone services to come into
the valley in 1982. Since 1983 onward, Cheri has served almost continuously
on the Board of Directors; for the past ten-plus years, she has also
served as its elected Treasurer, providing the Board with detailed
monthly financial reports.
Also since the District began, in addition to actively and continuously
participating as a firefighter, Cheri has worked to develop the District's
first responder Emergency Medical Services unit, becoming the Medical
Unit Director for the District as our firefighting and emergency medical
response services have grown and our first responder training has
increased in order to meet an ever-higher standard of care and professionalism.
Among our emergency medical responders, Cheri has responded to more medical
calls over the years than anyone else in our District. At any time
of day or night, she has been the always-reliable "go-to"
person for emergency medical services here in the valley, selflessly
putting the needs of others before her own, time and time again, often
because, especially in the early years, there wasn't anybody else
with her level of training who was available and able to go, when
the call came in.
Cheri has been an integral member of our District, central to its
continued existence and effective functioning, for almost thirty years.
Often over-worked due to her dedication, and sometimes under-thanked
and taken for granted as "part of the District landscape"
after so many years, she leaves a large crater to fill in that same
landscape now, as we find ourselves compelled to pick up the many
responsibilities, commitments, and functions that she carried and
handled for so long.
Her dedication and presence in our District will be long missed, and for
those of us who had the experience of knowing and working with her,
we will also miss her warm, lively personality, her caring nature,
her integrity of character, and her friendship.
With deep regret, but also with understanding, and sincere appreciation
for all that Cheri has done and given to the District throughout the
past 28-plus years, the Board has accepted her notice of retirement
from the District and resignation from the Board. We all wish her
the best possible future in her well-deserved retirement and life
beyond the Fire District.
