Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue's board will consider building drone infrastructure for the district and formally designating Fire Chief Deric Weiss as its chief executive officer when it meets Tuesday, Aug. 25, in Tigard.
TVF&R provides fire and emergency medical services to Bethany, Cedar Mill, Oak Hills and West Haven-Sylvan, among other communities across Washington County. Both headline items are first readings, meaning final votes would come at a later meeting if the board moves forward.
Drones on the agenda
The drone infrastructure proposal, listed under new business on the posted agenda, will be presented by Director Hicks and requires board action. The agenda does not detail what specific infrastructure is proposed, whether it involves drone-in-a-box launch stations, charging equipment or FAA waiver applications.
The item arrives as Washington County's Sheriff's Office pursues its own drone program. The Sheriff's Office presented a "Drone as First Responder" implementation plan to county commissioners at a June 2 work session. Whether TVF&R's proposal connects to that county effort or stands alone is not clear from the agenda.
Fire Chief as CEO of the Board
Board Policy Section 6.1 would formally designate the fire chief as chief executive officer of the board. Chief Weiss, who has led TVF&R since his selection in December 2018, is presenting the item. The full policy language has not been released publicly.
"The most important thing a fire district board will do is choose a fire chief," then-Board President Clark Balfour said in December 2018 when the board selected Weiss. The proposed policy would formalize the executive relationship between the chief and the board.
Weiss joined TVF&R about 24 years before his 2018 appointment, rising from firefighter through lieutenant, captain, battalion chief and assistant chief. At the time he took over, he oversaw 27 fire stations, three specialty teams and 432 firefighters and paramedics, according to TVF&R.
A first reading means the board would need a second reading and vote at a subsequent meeting before the policy takes effect.
Other business
The board will also take a final vote on Board Policy Section 10, a maintenance policy that received its first reading at the July 28 meeting. Deputy Chief of Administration Laura Hitt is presenting that item.
A Design Build Contract for Station 21, also presented by Director Hicks, rounds out new business. CFO Valerie Colgrove will deliver the July 2026 finance report and a capital projects fund update.
How to watch
The meeting begins Tuesday, Aug. 25, at the TVF&R Command and Business Operations Center, 11945 SW 70th Ave., Tigard. It will be livestreamed on TVF&R's YouTube channel. An executive session on preliminary policy matters, closed to public reporting under state law, will follow.
