Times staff

ARLINGTON – Three candidates are in the running for Fire District 21 commissioner.

Voters will whittle that number down to two in the Aug. 4 primary.

Dan Britton is the incumbent. He says in the voter’s pamphlet that he has been honored to have served in that spot for six years.

He and is family have lived in the area for 26 years. He wants to provide excellent service to residents and make sure district personnel are well-trained. But he also pledges to use tax dollars efficiently. He is a volunteer firefighter and certified emergency medical technician.

“I’m dedicated to bringing together diverse points of view and working as part of a team to solve the challenges we face,” he says in the pamphlet.

One of his challengers is Jeffrey Edmonds, who has lived in the area for 21 years. He has 29 years of fire service experience, the last 27 in Everett. He says he has valuable skills and insights into providing emergency services that would make him a valuable commissioner.

His goals are high level of fire protection and quality medical services with fiscal accountability.

“I also believe in open, honest and transparent leadership,” he says in the pamphlet.

Ed Taft also is running for the post. Even though voters shot it down, he could not believe the district even asked in November of 2014 for a 100 percent increase in the district’s tax levy.

“This proposal revealed how seriously the fire district stands in need of a change of leadership,” he says in the pamphlet.

He said common sense must be restored. The former Navy man has lived in Arlington Heights for 52 years. He is a Snohomish County planning commissioner and for 35 years has managed his own heavy-construction business.