Former Maple Valley Fire and Life Safety Chief Tim Lemon has been offered the fire chief job by Chelan County Fire District No. 7, according to the district’s interim Chief Ron Haworth.

“Chief Tim Lemon has been offered a contract, but no contract has been signed as of this time,” Haworth said in a phone interview Thursday. “We anticipate one will be (signed) by Monday. There are a few minor changes, nothing significant that will not get approved from both sides.”

Lemon was offered the position after the previous fire chief resigned.

“We are pleased to have someone of his qualifications apply,” the interim chief said.

Like Maple Valley, the department is overseen by a board of fire commissioners, and it is reported that Lemon was offered the job by Fire District 7 commissioners yesterday (Wednesday).

Fire District 7 includes the city of Chelan, which according to 2000 Census data has about 3,500 residents.

By comparison, Maple Valley has more than 20,000 residents and the district covers the city as well as an additional 50 square miles outside the city limits.

Commissioners for King County Fire District 43, which oversees Maple Valley Fire, chose not to renew Lemon’s contract at its Aug. 6 meeting. His contract was set to expire at the end of the year.

The three-member board voted in a split decision not to renew Lemon’s contract. Commissioners Brian McGee and Mike Scott voted not to renew Lemon’s contract, while former Commissioner Jeff Granlund voted against it.

Following the announcement that Lemon’s contract would not be renewed, Granlund resigned his position on the board, though he remains on the ballot for the general election in November for the position.

The day after the meeting, Lemon was placed on voluntary administrative leave.

Lemon had been with the department since 1995.