Jefferson City soon will seek input from residents on the open fire chief position.
At a Fire Chief Recommendation Committee meeting Thursday, committee members discussed a general outline of the process they would like to see moving forward, starting with a short online survey to city residents. The committee decided on three questions for the survey: the most important attribute for a fire chief, the most important issue facing the Fire Department and whether people are satisfied with an internal search for a fire chief.
Gail Strope, human resources director, said she would speak with city staff about putting the survey together on the city's website. Strope said the survey would publicized to ensure people know when it's available.
The seven-member citizen committee is made up of former councilmen, a city resident, two representatives of the Fire Department, the Joplin fire chief and the human resources director for Columbia. The committee will eventually make a recommendation to the city administrator on a candidate for the position, which has been vacant since former Chief Bob Rennick retired in March 2013. It has been filled on an interim basis by Jason Turner, the division chief of prevention and public information.
Eight current Fire Department employees have applied for the position.
During Thursday's meeting, the committee decided on an outline for the process, which would involve four stages. First, the committee would review applications and resumes; second, they would come up with written questions and evaluate the responses to those questions; third, they would seek a written "plan of vision/direction" for the department, including a "first year plan for (the) position;" and, finally, in-person interview panels.
The interview panels would involve three forums with the candidates, with one being for members of the public, one with members of the Fire Department and one with department heads. Committee Chair Dan Klindt said ideally, all three would be open meetings, potentially with an outside moderator asking all candidates submitted questions.
The committee plans to meet again to discuss further details of the process, which would happen in open session. Committee members may choose to go into closed session to receive and discuss applications, but that has yet to be decided.
The next committee meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. July 7 at City Hall.