Commissioner Survives Recall

Voters chose overwhelmingly not to recall a Hayden Fire District commissioner criticized for his part in the decision to oust the district’s fire chief last fall.

Of the 1,378 who voted, 889 cast their ballot against recalling Wayne Johnson, county elections officials said Wednesday.

Organizers of the recall effort denounced the decision to dismiss Wayne Syth as the district’s chief. Syth’s supporters credited him with turning a band of volunteers into a professional organization.

Syth’s critics accused the 15-year chief of running a “good old boy” department, hiring and promoting friends and relatives.

The three-member fire commission board fired Syth last October, saying they were unhappy with the chief’s performance. They refused to give specific problems.

Johnson and Dean McMillen both voted in favor of dismissing Syth last October. Thencommissioner Jim Fischer abstained because he planned to retire from the board.

Critics chose not to try to recall McMillen because his seat was up for re-election a month after Syth’s firing. McMillen was re-elected last November.