Glenn Clemens has been endorsed by the Port Ludlow firefighters union as its chosen candidate for fire commissioner.   

According to Wicus McGuffey, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 3811, the decision followed a series of meetings with Clemens and his fellow candidates Mike Feely and incumbent Ron Helmonds.

“We actually had all three candidates in for an interview and we had an opportunity to meet with them,” McGuffey said. “Ultimately, we did vote unanimously to support and endorse Glenn Clemens.”

McGuffey said there were a number of factors in the union’s decision to pick Clemens as their man.

“Topping the list was the emphasis from Glenn as far as fostering a team environment,” McGuffey said. “That’s something that has been missing in Port Ludlow between the line, our administrative staff and then our legislative group with the board of commissioners.”

In recent years, McGuffey said the union’s relationship with the Port Ludlow Fire District commissioners could best be characterized as fraught.

“I hate to use the term animosity, but we certainly feel [it] at times,” McGuffey said. “There’s a level of animosity and contentiousness in the relationship, which is really unfortunate. It’s counter-productive to our mission and service delivery, but unfortunately that’s been really prevalent in this organization going back to probably 2005 when [Port Ludlow Fire Chief] Wayne Kier left.”

McGuffey said after Brad Martin took the reins as fire chief, he was hopeful that the department could work through some of the issues they had been facing, but yet again, the problems persisted.

“Ultimately we’ve gone through what we went through over the last 10 months now since we had taken the vote of no confidence in Brad Martin,” he said.

McGuffey said key among Clemens’ selling points were his emphases on fostering a team environment and supporting those who were responsible for delivering services throughout the fire district.

He also noted Clemens’ desire to help the district, well before he tossed his hat into the ring as a commissioner candidate. 

“For Glenn specifically, before he even filed for commissioner, he was looking for ways to help the fire district,” McGuffey said. “We changed the batteries in his smoke detector and he was talking to the guys who were there doing it and [he] really just expressed an appreciation for what we do.”

Clemens, Feely and Helmonds will square off in the Aug. 3 Primary Election, where the top two candidates will move forward to the Nov. 2 General Election.

Election results will begin coming in at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3.