Owensboro KY Fire Department Begins Search for New Chief

Owensboro city officials have started the search for a new city fire chief with retiring Fire Chief Steve Mitchell saying the hope is officials will be ready to make a job offer in a couple of months.

Mitchell recently announced his intention to retire in either November or December. He said Wednesday that job postings have already been sent out to national and international fire service organizations.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Kentucky Firefighters Association will post the job in their publications, Mitchell said.

Mitchell said he hopes current OFD members also apply for the job.

The job requires candidates to have a minimum of three years of command experience in the fire service.

"I think what they need to be looking for is someone who has experience with a growing community," Mitchell said. "When I came on, we had to make sure the fire department was adaptable to a changing community."

Mitchell said the candidate selected should not be "set in (their) ways," and should be "someone that can adapt as the community changes."

Mitchell said last week he wants to retire early enough for a new chief to settle into the position and have a voice in the city's next strategic plan.

The candidate will be "someone who can do a strategic plan and carry out the plan," he said.

Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson said the city's elected leaders will not be involved in the hiring process.

"It keeps the politics out of it," Watson said. The city commission's role is simply to approve the hire.

"I always tell them I'm looking for a leader," Watson said. "We need a good leader, and we've had good leaders."

City Manager Nate Pagan said people involved in the hiring will look at the candidate's experience and how "their experience is similar to a city such as ours.

"Just because we are doing a full search, we hope there will be internal candidates as well," Pagan said adding that "professional development ... has been a priority" for Mitchell during his time at OFD.

Mitchell said the selection process will move relatively quickly.

"We're hoping to have offers out in last October and have somebody on board by November," Mitchell said. "I'll be able to work with whoever it is, so it will be a smooth transition."

James Mayse, Mayse, 270-691-7303, [email protected], Twitter: @JamesMayse

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