It’ll be at least six months before Winfield has a permanent replacement for retired fire chief Curtis Wilson, city manager Warren Porter said Monday.
For now, fire marshal Alan Stoll will serve as interim chief and oversee the department. Stoll was a logical choice, Porter said, because he keeps regular office hours, has contact with personnel on all three shifts and is a 20-year veteran of the department.
Stoll said he expects to apply for the position when the application period begins.
That will be a few months, at least, because the city budgeted to go without a chief for half of 2011 after Wilson announced plans to retire.
"It’s simply about money for us," Porter said. "This is pretty much how we’ve been handling the filling of any position – either delay filling it or leave it unfilled."
The city followed a similar strategy and waited about eight months to fill the police chief position.
Eventually, though, the city plans to conduct a full recruitment for a new fire chief. Regional, maybe even some national, advertising will be included in that search and should begin in two or three months.
Porter expects there will be some internal candidates.
A new chief will make between $62,000 and $82,000 per year, plus benefits.
Stoll’s salary as interim chief is $61,500 and became effective Dec. 26.
