The board of directors for the Nevada County Consolidated Fire District agreed to explore the possibility of contracting with Penn Valley’s fire chief to fill in during Division Chief David Ray’s upcoming vacation. The board also raised the possibility of using Penn Valley Fire Chief Gene Vander Plaats as an interim chief when Ray retires in May. Ray has been acting as fire chief for Consolidated since Tim Fike and the district parted ways last year; he likely will retire before a new chief is selected. Chairman Keith Grueneberg said the board needed to establish who would be in charge …