A logo on the door of an emergency vehicle at Jackson County Fire District 5. 

Jackson County commissioners interviewed 10 candidates this week to fill three vacancies on the Fire District 5 board of directors.

Commissioners split the list of candidates across two meetings: a Tuesday work session and a Thursday staff meeting.

The vacancies were created when three members abruptly resigned last month — leaving the board without a quorum and unable to conduct business — amid discussion of personnel issues and concerns that District 5 Fire Chief Charles Hanley tolerated and participated in bullying and harassment of employees.

Board Chair Vicki Purslow and board members Cary Halligan and Mike Winters resigned, one after another, just before the board was set to meet in executive session to discuss a possible investigation of Hanley.

After concluding the second round of interviews Thursday, commissioner Dave Dotterrer said he hoped the commissioners could make a decision soon to restore the fire district’s ability to resume meetings and address the issues facing the district.

Under state law, if the majority of a board is vacant, the vacancies will be referred to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners for appointment.

All applicants appeared at one of the two meetings in person or via video conference.

Tuesday’s interviewees were retired U.S. Air Force colonel and past Phoenix City Council president Al Muelhoefer, Ashland firefighter Alfredo Echaide, retired veteran Cynthia Jones, retired logger-turned-attorney Robert Stone and IT consultant Deric Manzi.

The applicants interviewed Thursday were Almeda Fire survivor and aviation expert Kevin Zimmerer, former Ashland Fire Chief John Karns, former Phoenix Mayor Chris Luz, Asante director of cardiac life support Jennifer Hadden, and retired Oregon State Police bomb tech and ETHOS Training Academy owner Greg Costanzo.

After the interviews, the commissioners decided to deliberate on the candidates at a regular weekly commissioner meeting Wednesday, April 17.