LEDGER INDEPENDENT: Good luck, and welcome aboard

Over the years, only a few public officials have impressed us with their dedication and professionalism the way Wayne Muse has. That's why we face his resignation as Mason County Emergency Management chief with mixed emotions.

On one hand, we are going to miss not only the professional courtesy he afforded us as reporters but also his knowledge, often found lacking in officials, that by talking to the press he was talking with the public. Almost without failure, a phone call to Wayne was returned, no matter how busy he was with the emergency or even disaster at hand. He recognized that by keeping the press informed, he was also relaying information that the public needed to know.

On the other hand, we know that in moving on, Muse leaves behind an organization that is ready to handle the tough jobs because of the work he put in during his tenure, from his relentless pursuit of funding for an emergency weather radio transmitter for the area to his determination to modernize and update local emergency response procedures. He can leave to pursue a new position knowing he accomplished perhaps all and more than he intended when he accepted the job.

We wish Wayne-O, as he was affectionately referred to in the newsroom, only the best as he steps away from Emergency Management and tackles another career.

We are confident that Jack Fultz, who has been named Muse's successor, is more than capable of handling the job he now faces. We also wish him only the best and hope that he will follow Muse's example in keeping the lines of communication open -- both with the public and the press.