Re-elect William “Bill” Gates as fire commissioner of South King Fire and Rescue.

Bill has served as your commissioner for the past 12 years and was elected board president for the past four. With his vast experience, knowledge and vision, he helped steer the district through some recent tough financial times and saw it restored to be one of the most cost-effective districts in South King County.

He has been recognized as a leader by many organizations and has been honored as one of the top leaders in our community. With the ever-challenging duties of governing a fire district that encompasses over 100,000 citizens, we need someone with the proven track record of Commissioner Gates.

With your vote for Bill, you can be assured that your fire district will continue to be run with integrity and vision, which is so vital for overseeing one of the most important services to our community — fire protection and emergency medical services.

We need to keep experienced people overseeing our fire district, so please join me by casting your vote for Bill Gates on Nov. 5.

Wayne S. Corey, King County EMS/Medic One Advisory Committee, Des Moines