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Former Nevada City fire chief Donald Wasley was honored at Wednesday's night City Council meeting. Mayor Barbara Coffman is seen at left.
Donald Wasley took one look at a room full of lifelong friends and family and squeaked out a gracious smile.
He was humbled.
The 52-year member of the Nevada City Fire Department, who was flush in the face at the sight of former fire chiefs and firemen assembled at City Hall on his behalf, was honored Wednesday by the City Council and mayor Barbara Coffman as the council named Donald Wasley Day for years of service to the city and the area where he was raised.
Before the meeting began, he could be seen shaking his head with nervousness. This was weird for him.
“I didn't know they were giving me a day,” Wasley said with a laugh.
Wasley, 79, was born in Grass Valley, attended Grass Valley High school (now Nevada Union) and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He worked for 34 years for the United States Post Office and first became a fire chief in 1963.
In 1994, at age 65, he retired from active duty and became an honorary member of the fire department and focused on being secretary and treasurer to the department, a position he still holds today.
“Fifty years is quite a milestone for any department,” current Nevada City Fire Chief Sam Goodspeed said. “It's an honor to have someone in our department serve for so long.”
Wasley has been known to the community in more ways than one. He's also a 20-year member of the local Elks Club and has volunteered with the elections office for a number of years.
“Doing something for the community” has always been enjoyable, Wasley said. “I've always done something, whether it's coach Little League or help my son coach Little League.
“I'll continue on as long as I can,” he said.
In other news
• Mayor Barbara Coffman and the City Council wanted to make sure they thanked Tour of Nevada City bicycle shop owner and Nevada City Bicycle Classic race director Duane Strawser for a smooth event Sunday.
Not to forget a pretty well-known cyclist named Lance Armstrong.
“You know, he usually doesn't come for anything less than a $50,000 purse and he came for a $5,000 purse,” vice mayor Reinette Senum said. “He came to support the Nevada City Classic and it really was phenomenal.”
• The council shelved a resolution to create a uniform system for road naming. Under the proposed resolution, standards would be set for duplicative names and inappropriate names as well as similar sounding names. Roads with the same name, yet different suffixes such as boulevard, lane or avenue, would also be seen as duplicates.
There was a concern about absolutes, councilwoman Sally Harris said.
The issue was brought before the council after being spearheaded by the Nevada County
Board of Supervisors and public safety officials.
• The APPLE Center for Sustainability was approved to use 426 Commercial Street as its base of operations, with the Private Industry Council of Butte County, a nonprofit, paying its rent.
He was humbled.
The 52-year member of the Nevada City Fire Department, who was flush in the face at the sight of former fire chiefs and firemen assembled at City Hall on his behalf, was honored Wednesday by the City Council and mayor Barbara Coffman as the council named Donald Wasley Day for years of service to the city and the area where he was raised.
Before the meeting began, he could be seen shaking his head with nervousness. This was weird for him.
“I didn't know they were giving me a day,” Wasley said with a laugh.
Wasley, 79, was born in Grass Valley, attended Grass Valley High school (now Nevada Union) and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He worked for 34 years for the United States Post Office and first became a fire chief in 1963.
In 1994, at age 65, he retired from active duty and became an honorary member of the fire department and focused on being secretary and treasurer to the department, a position he still holds today.
“Fifty years is quite a milestone for any department,” current Nevada City Fire Chief Sam Goodspeed said. “It's an honor to have someone in our department serve for so long.”
Wasley has been known to the community in more ways than one. He's also a 20-year member of the local Elks Club and has volunteered with the elections office for a number of years.
“Doing something for the community” has always been enjoyable, Wasley said. “I've always done something, whether it's coach Little League or help my son coach Little League.
“I'll continue on as long as I can,” he said.
In other news
• Mayor Barbara Coffman and the City Council wanted to make sure they thanked Tour of Nevada City bicycle shop owner and Nevada City Bicycle Classic race director Duane Strawser for a smooth event Sunday.
Not to forget a pretty well-known cyclist named Lance Armstrong.
“You know, he usually doesn't come for anything less than a $50,000 purse and he came for a $5,000 purse,” vice mayor Reinette Senum said. “He came to support the Nevada City Classic and it really was phenomenal.”
• The council shelved a resolution to create a uniform system for road naming. Under the proposed resolution, standards would be set for duplicative names and inappropriate names as well as similar sounding names. Roads with the same name, yet different suffixes such as boulevard, lane or avenue, would also be seen as duplicates.
There was a concern about absolutes, councilwoman Sally Harris said.
The issue was brought before the council after being spearheaded by the Nevada County
Board of Supervisors and public safety officials.
• The APPLE Center for Sustainability was approved to use 426 Commercial Street as its base of operations, with the Private Industry Council of Butte County, a nonprofit, paying its rent.
To contact Staff Writer Zuri Berry, e-mail zberry@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4244.
