Pullman welcomes fire chief with open arms

PULLMAN — The city of Pullman welcomed its new Pullman Fire Department chief with open arms.

Brett Nash, from Nevada’s Henderson Fire Department, was sworn in during Tuesday night’s regular Pullman City Council meeting. He succeeds Mike Heston, who retired this month after being chief of the department since 2013.

Tuesday’s meeting was a popular one — City Hall’s council chambers were filled with dozens of firefighters, personnel and first responders to congratulate Nash. It was also crowded with Pullman business owners who observed city councilors’ decision on new rates for permits that include outdoor seating.

Along with ushering in new leadership at the fire department, the council also approved an increase to right-of-way use permits to $245 annually. The fee impacts businesses within city limits that have sidewalk seating and events held in public spaces.

Sean Wells, the city’s public works director, said permits to occupy the right-of-way, like sidewalks, alleyways and streets, hadn’t been updated since 1971. He said the code’s language was vague and not current, applied to objects that are used differently now, like dumpster locations and sidewalk cafes.

The new code classifies three types of permits that include: short-term nonprofit for uses in a 24-hour period like assemblies, block parties and parades; short-term profit for uses in a 72-hour period like fairs, temporary sales of goods and moving buildings; long term and permanent, such as construction sites, waste facilities and sidewalk faces.

Before the code was overhauled, city documents say the fee for businesses was $0.50 per square feet of outdoor space annually. The new code now charges all three permits a total $245 fee, comprising a $30 application fee and $215 review and inspection processing fee.

Wells said the fees are in tandem with the amount of work city employees put into processing permits. He added anything less would be a “gift of public funds.”

Councilor Trymaine Gaither asked Wells how he estimated city staff’s time and costs. Wells said it was based on the time it takes staff to currently process permits.

Along with new fees, the council approved insurance requirements for businesses within city limits and right-of-way uses of outdoor space. The city now requires that they possess $1 million in commercial general liability insurance and $1 million in automobile liability insurance.

In an interview, Nash said his service in Nevada has made him well-prepared for the Pullman role. He has a nearly 30-year career in fire service beginning as a firefighter paramedic in 1997.

Nash has served as Henderson Fire Department’s battalion chief for five years, where he managed seven stations within Nevada’s Las Vegas valley. Before he was the department’s fire captain for 11 years.

“It’s a big city and department with lots of action and things going on,” he said. “That being said, this is a different community. So I’m going to have to draw from people here to make sure they are well-served.”

Nash said his decision to come to Pullman was an easy one considering the “amazing group” of men and women working tirelessly to serve the region.

“These guys give selflessly of their service to their community,” he said. “We are going to work tirelessly to make this city safe, provide public safety for them and have an open, transparent door.”

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.