AUBURN - The city Civil Service Commission on Friday adopted minimum requirements that will allow for an open competitive exam for the vacant fire chief position, a move that could lead to hiring a person from outside the Auburn Fire Department.
Commissioners voted 2-1 to adopt a minimum requirement stating that the examination be open to deputy chiefs, assistant fire chiefs and captains who have or previously held permanently paid positions with a fire department.
The test is tentatively scheduled for November.
Commissioner John Brennan opposed the requirement, suggesting that they follow the state's model that opens the test to assistant fire chiefs with two years experience or fire captains with four years experience.
“We don't have a minimum qualification for open competitive exams for fire chiefs now, we never had,” Brennan said.
City Manager Mark Palesh requested the commission create the qualifications because as of now only two candidates, Capts. Joseph Morabito and Jeffrey Dygert, remain on a promotional list from within the AFD. Palesh can look beyond these candidates and hire a provisional candidate as long as he interviews these two fire department employees first.
The city manager has 30 days from receiving the commission's list of eligible applicants to make an appointment.
Mark Palesh already interviewed the two internal candidates.
Until November, the next step for the city may be to hire a provisional chief who would have to take the test in November and have one of the top three scores in order to remain in the chief's position.
“We've been asked to give an open-competitive exam. We're trying to be fair on both sides,” Brennan said.
The approved requirements use almost the same wording in the promotional exam requirements in an effort to keep a level playing field, commissioners said.
Dygert suggested that when the open-competitive exam is offered, another promotional exam should also be given to firefighters wishing to take both exams.
Staff writer Kristina Martino can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kristina.martino@lee.net
The test is tentatively scheduled for November.
Commissioner John Brennan opposed the requirement, suggesting that they follow the state's model that opens the test to assistant fire chiefs with two years experience or fire captains with four years experience.
“We don't have a minimum qualification for open competitive exams for fire chiefs now, we never had,” Brennan said.
City Manager Mark Palesh requested the commission create the qualifications because as of now only two candidates, Capts. Joseph Morabito and Jeffrey Dygert, remain on a promotional list from within the AFD. Palesh can look beyond these candidates and hire a provisional candidate as long as he interviews these two fire department employees first.
The city manager has 30 days from receiving the commission's list of eligible applicants to make an appointment.
Mark Palesh already interviewed the two internal candidates.
Until November, the next step for the city may be to hire a provisional chief who would have to take the test in November and have one of the top three scores in order to remain in the chief's position.
“We've been asked to give an open-competitive exam. We're trying to be fair on both sides,” Brennan said.
The approved requirements use almost the same wording in the promotional exam requirements in an effort to keep a level playing field, commissioners said.
Dygert suggested that when the open-competitive exam is offered, another promotional exam should also be given to firefighters wishing to take both exams.
Staff writer Kristina Martino can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kristina.martino@lee.net
