Black Diamond resident Chris Wisnoski was recently appointed to be the newest member of the City Council.
On March 1, the Black Diamond City Council held interviews with four applicants for the Council Position No. 5 seat, which was recently emptied when former Councilwoman Pat Pepper was recalled during the Feb. 13 special election.
After an extended executive session, Councilwoman Tamie Deady moved to nominate Wisnoski, and he was then confirmed unanimously.
“I’m real excited. This is a great opportunity to serve the city and the folks of Black Diamond,” Wisnoski said in an interview after he was sworn in. “I’m really excited about binging the city back together and the community back together.”
One of Wisnoski’s talking points that stuck with the council appeared to be his focus on fire safety.
As a former volunteer firefighter in Aurora, New York, he wants to see Mountain View Fire and Rescue — which covers Black Diamond — get a career fire station closer to the downtown area.
“When my neighbor had a garage fire, it took a little while for firefighters to get there, so it’s one of those things I worry about, and we need to get addressed and taken care of,” Wisnoski said.
The only career-staffed fire station in Black Diamond is Station 98 at 22015 S.E. 296th St., roughly four miles (or 10 minutes) away from the Black Diamond police station and the neighborhoods in that area.
Station 99 — which is at 25313 Baker St. and right across the road from the police station — is not manned, since it doesn’t meet Washington Administrative Code, and “is basically a garage,” Chief Greg Smith said, and information on the department’s website about the station being manned by volunteers will be updated.
In addition to being a new council member, Wisnoski is an enterprise architect at Symetra Life Insurance, is a team member with the Maple Valley Amateur Radio Emergency Services, and is a Knight of the 3rd Degree with the Knights of Columbus with the St. Barbara Parish in Black Diamond.
Wisnoski, right, with Councilwoman Erin Stout, Mayor Carol Benson, and Councilwomen Tamie Deady, Janie Edelman and Melissa Olgesbee. Photo by Ray Still
