3 sworn to serve WMFR district board, longtime admin retires

West Manatee Fire Rescue administrative manager Julie Kichar, center, poses Nov. 15 alongside district administration, staff and commissioners during her retirement ceremony at the headquarters in Bradenton. Kichar began at the district in 1997 and is WMFR’s final remaining employee from the original Anna Maria Fire Control District. She will work her last day for WMFR Jan. 12, 2023. Chief Ben Rigney, left of Kichar, awarded her a trophy and plaque recognizing her quarter-decade of service and said she would be missed. “She’s become the fire department mom to all of us,” Rigney said. Islander Photos: Ryan Paice

West Manatee Fire Rescue Commissioners Derrick Warner, left, David Bishop and William “Billy” Burke, right, pose Nov. 15 following their first meeting of their new four-year terms.