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Verner has experience DNR needs

I am writing to endorse Mary Verner for Commissioner of Public Lands. As a lifelong Conservative, this is no small step for me. However, Verner is the most experienced candidate with a proven record of developing relationships that are critical to agency coordination during natural disasters.

I have 30 years in the fire service, most recently as a fire chief in Spokane County and regional involvement with incident response teams. I have worked extensively with federal and state agencies, and Verner has been a positive addition to the Department of Natural Resources’ leadership team. Her ability to develop relationships with local emergency responders, as well as her connections to the communities we serve, are critical to helping provide an effective response during wildland fire season.

I recognize that wildland fires are not the only responsibility of the Commissioner of Public Lands. However, the faster and more effectively we can respond means additional resources will be available for other DNR programs and services across the state. Verner is the only candidate with the relationships to make this happen and has experience with the agency to be effective in this role.

Randy Johnson, Fire Chief

Deer Park



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