Since 1999, we’ve helped Nevada County thrive.
Our Board Of Directors
Lorraine Jewett- President
Lorraine Jewett was involved in the Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council during its infancy in the 1990s, when she served as Nevada County Clerk-Recorder. Lorraine reconnected with the council in 2017 and was elected to the board in 2018.
She considers herself Nevada County’s biggest “Has Been,” since she has been the lucky duck filling a wide variety of jobs in a myriad of professions. Lorraine is a freelance writer for The Union newspaper and contributes a weekly community column, “Lorraine’s Lowdown,” that is published on Saturdays. She is also proprietor of her own public relations company, “Lorraine Jewett Creative and Promotional Services.”
Cameron Brady - Vice President & Attorney of Record
Cameron Brady is a local attorney who serves as General Counsel for select businesses throughout Northern California. As a third generation Nevada County native, Cameron is committed to being an active community member. Cameron is honored to serve the NCLFC and is dedicated to supporting the law enforcement and fire protection agencies in Nevada County.
Cameron holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco. Along with his law partner, Cameron was selected as the “Best Attorney” in Nevada County by the readers of The Union newspaper.
Deborah Wilder- Secretary
Deborah Wilder is an attorney and president of Contractor Compliance and Monitoring, Inc. a consulting company assisting agencies and contractors comply with prevailing wage requirements. She served 8 years on the Foster City Council 1997-2005 and 2 years as Mayor. She moved to Nevada County in 2008 and volunteers with many nonprofits in the community. She also serves on the board of the Interfaith Food Ministry. She and her husband are FEMA T-3 CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) instructors.
Buckley Armacher - Treasurer
Buckley Armacher discovered his passion for supporting first responders when he first volunteered with the Ophir Hill Fire Protection District in 1987. He was a volunteer firefighter for the next 12 years, and is currently Chairman of the fire district’s Board of Directors. One of his sons is a California Highway Patrol officer.
Buckley joined the Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council as an associate member in 2015 and was elected to the council’s Board of Directors in 2020.
Buckley and his wife Laura have owned and operated Budget Blinds in Grass Valley since 2003. Their successful business has allowed the couple to support dozens of community organizations and nonprofits.
Tom O’Toole - Board Member
Tom has immense pride in being a Nevada County Law and Fire Protection Council member since 2010. Served as the councils’ vice president from 2013 to 2019. Since 2015 Tom has taken tremendous pleasure in coordinating over three hundred KNCO’s ON THE TOWN programs. ON THE TOWN highlights the positive aspects and stories about our first responders.
Along with his wife, Judith, they own and operate Pacific Bancnote Company, a unique security printing company, which provides documents of high negotiable value along with anti-counterfeiting devices, primarily to U.S. states, territories, and municipalities.
Tom also serves on the Alta Sierra Property Owners Association Board of Directors as its vice president.
Mike Bratton - Board Member
Mike Bratton has been a resident of Nevada County since 1978. An active community leader, businessman, and family man, he is a well-respected figure in our community.
Mike graduated from Chico State University in 1978 with a B.A. in Communications and Marketing. He opened his local State Farm Insurance Agency in 1984. He has excelled in business, and was recognized as a lifetime President Club State Farm Insurance Agent, with one of the top 50 agencies in the entire company comprised of over 16,000 agents.
In 2006, his family founded the Michael Bratton II Annual Turkey Trot in memory of his son, Michael, who tragically took his own life. The annual race is 5K and 10K Run/Walk is held each Thanksgiving Day, with a mission to raise funds for ANew Day Counseling Center, suicide and depression awareness programs, and local youth organizations.
Not just a fundraiser, Mike is also deeply involved in the leadership of ANew Day, which is a non-profit, faith-based, no-cost counseling center, serving as its President. ANew Day has trained approximately 40 lay counselors and licensed professional counselors who have helped over 2,000 people with life hurts in the last sixteen years.
He has been president of both the Seven Hills PTCA and Nevada Union Football Boosters Club, and volunteers for major work projects at Park Avenue High School, Earl Jamison High School and Nevada Union High School. He was instrumental in bringing the turf field to NU. In addition, Mike has coached little league baseball, soccer, youth basketball, and Nevada Union Junior Miner’s Football.
He is an active member of Twin Cities Church.
As a Rotarian, he is a member of the Nevada City 49er Breakfast Rotary Club, which presented him with the Outstanding Vocational Service Award in 1993 and where he is a major donor, becoming a Paul Harris Fellow and a member of the Paul Harris Society.
Most important to Mike is his family. He would say his wife Robin is the most amazing, loving, gentle, supportive, and beautiful person he knows. The greatest joy in his life comes from spending time with his children and their significant others; Jennifer and Jason, Kevin and Polly, and Joey and Amanda. Mike enjoys being a grandparent to their six grandchildren.
The community has recognized Mike, as well. He was the recipient of the Grass Valley/Nevada County Chamber of Commerce Earl Covey Award in 1997, the Nevada County Association of Realtors Community Member of the Year in 2010, and has consistently been voted Nevada County’s “Best of” Insurance Agent from 2002-2016. In 2014 the Penn Valley Rotary Club honored Mike with the Citizen of the Year Award. He has been a supportive member of the Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council since it’s inception, and now serves as a Board Member.
He continues to support many local non-profit organizations.
Mike Haemmig - Board Member
Mike Haemmig has been developing land and building houses in Nevada County since the mid-1980’s. Mike has worked on well-known brand name commercial buildings such as Hilton and Lakspur Landing hotels, but his favorite projects are those that restore historic commercial and residential buildings.
Mike was an associate member of the Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council for five years before he was elected to the Board of Directors in 2020.
His personal interests include competing in the Professional Motorsports Industry, a hobby marked by three championships and two trips to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. Mike is a founding board member of Historic Trans-Am IMSA, a group dedicated to preserving the great cars of the “Tube Frame” era. In the past, he’s raced motocross, dirt, and road race cars. Mike now runs vintage race cars.
Mark Heauser - Board Member
Board Member Mark joined Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council in 2015 (previously an associate member). Mark has been in Nevada County for the better part of his life and enjoys his time in service to give back to the community. He has worked for Plaza Tire and Auto Service since 1978. Mark has served on many boards and to this point, NCLFC is one of his favorites and most rewarding. It’s an honor to support our great folks in law enforcement and fire protection in Nevada County.
Long-time residents will remember when Sam Strange was arrested and later convicted of murdering two teenage girls. Roiling at the criminal justice system, Strange’s mother and others launched a recall effort against the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney, and Superior Court Judges. Enter Willard “Bill” Drown, who was asked to pull together community leaders to support those targeted by the recall. The group Drown assembled helped quash the recall efforts. Under Drown’s leadership, those same men and women decided to expand their support of public safety organizations. The Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council (NCLFC) was born.
“Our goal has always been to support law enforcement and firefighters so that no man or woman would lose their life because they didn’t have the right training or equipment,” said Drown, the NCLFC Founder. “I never want a man or woman down on my watch.” The nonprofit council declared its mission: “…to provide support and assistance to public law enforcement and fire protection agencies located in Nevada County by making a meaningful contribution to such agencies both in the form of better equipment and in support and furtherance of their programs and policies.”
In the years since its inception in 1999, the council has purchased or donated more than $1 million worth of equipment, support, and training for local first responders. The NCLFC has also donated thousands of dollars in scholarships to students pursuing degrees in law enforcement and fire protection, and sponsored dozens of community educational programs. The council conducts a variety of fun fundraisers each year, including its signature fundraising event, the Red Light Ball. The first Red Light Ball was organized by Keith and Jeanette Royal to celebrate Keith’s 1998 election as Nevada County’s 33rd sheriff. The fantastic bash on January 8, 1999 at the fairgrounds’ main exhibit hall saw more than 300 of Nevada County’s glitterati in attendance. The event was so popular, the Royals decided to make it an annual affair, and offered it to the newly-formed NCLFC. The council took the reins, and has organized the gala ever since. Other council fundraisers include an annual raffle for a week’s vacation in Maui. The drawing is broadcast live on KNCO-AM radio each spring. The council also hosts the “Nevada County Heroes Co-ed Softball Tournament” in late spring or early summer.
The council meets on the second Thursday of each month. An associate membership costs $50 annually, which includes an invitation to the yearly State of the County meeting in November at which law enforcement and fire protection agency leaders make detailed presentations.
By Lorraine Jewett
Special thanks to The Union
Willard “Bill” Drown founded the Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council in 1999.
During his lifetime (12/9/1942 – 3/27/2020), Bill financially supported and/or donated his time and expertise to more than two dozen nonprofit agencies. His foremost passion was enabling law enforcement and firefighting agencies with the equipment and training required to do their job and help keep our community safe.
