Yanity trial should mark end of feud

NOW that Key Peninsula Fire Commissioner Allen Yanity has been convicted of fourth-degree assault following the coffee mug incident last April, we hope the feud between Yanity and fellow Fire Commissioner Jim Bosch can come to a standstill — at least until they’re finished with their public duty.

The two elected officials have caused enough uproar, not only for the Key Peninsula but for other fire districts in the region.

Yanity was also found not guilty on two counts of felony assault, which would have prevented him from serving the remainder of his six-year term.

Instead, the gross misdemeanor means he will continue to serve through 2011, barring a successful recall from concerned community activists. Bosch, currently serving as the chair of the board, is in a similar situation, although his term expires in 2009.

Last week’s decision in Pierce County Superior Court can propel this saga in another direction. The Key Peninsula Fire District No. 16 has a fresh opportunity to rebuild its reputation by moving on and concentrating on the firefighter/paramedic side of the equation. They should be focusing on what they need to do in order to keep Key Peninsula residents safe, not other frivolous details.

There certainly have been positive steps in the past several months. The board of directors, previously limited to three members, has expanded to five following voter approval last November. The two new commissioners, Ruth Bramhall and Sheila Hunt, have experienced voices.

The fire department has also promoted four firefighters to the volunteer rank of lieutenant, honoring Saul Wolverton, Dean Junell, Eddie Reeves and Brent Adams.

So instead of focusing efforts on getting one another recalled from the board, Yanity and Bosch should come to the realization that the community is tired of their antics. Many different organizations last year called for their resignations — including this editorial board — only to be ignored.

Hopefully Yanity and Bosch can accept the jury’s decision, close the book on that chapter of their public lives and do what’s best for the community.

They were both elected for a reason. Now they need to remember those reasons and fulfill their public duties.