Board signs on with firm to find new fire chief
At a special meeting on March 14 of the Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue District, a Bradenton firm was selected to take over the search for a new fire chief.
Chief John Wayne recently announced that he would be retiring as of July 4.
Jim Steffans, chief executive officer of the JTS Association, met with the board to discuss procedures in hiring a new chief.
He worked with the Fort Myers Beach Fire Board last year in its hiring of a new fire chief. Steffans has more than 40 years of fire service in various degrees of training and management and has executed searches for executives in the fire control business.
The board listened to Steffans’ plans and agreed in a unanimous vote to hire his firm at a cost of $12,500.
He offered a seven-step process in hiring a new chief and explained detailed plans to the board. He said advertising for a new chief comes first and would take about 30 days.
His estimate of the cost of advertising was about $1,000 for the month.
He also told the board that it needs to choose five to seven people from Lehigh to serve on a panel to aid in the process. The group would meet with the final applicants.
“These people should be community leaders and people who know a lot about Lehigh and its characteristics,” he said. “Any more than seven people would be too large.”
The group should also include labor representatives and fire officers.
“This group would narrow it down to three to five applicants who would meet with each board member on a one-on-one basis, and then the whole five-member board would interview the candidates all at a public meeting,”?he said.
Steffans said it may take four to eight weeks before the finalists come before the board. He told the board it should consider reimbursement costs to those applicants, who may come to Lehigh twice and may have to stay a few days.
“It does incur a cost for the final applicants for them to stay at a hotel and also have their meals paid for,” Steffans said.
He said a final choice would be two candidates for the board’s considerations.
He explained in more detail the various things that the board would be responsible for in the selection.
“I would suggest a meet-and-greet time for the final candidates, a tour of the district,” Steffans said. “At the meet-and-greet, the finalists could talk to any of the staff and others.”
Those items could cost between $15,000 and $16,000.
There was a discussion of the requirements and duties for the new fire chief, given to Steffans. He did not agree with some things listed and made suggestions to the board.
Steffans said when he returned this week, he would have what he considers would be a good list of requirements to be included in the three- to four-page pamphlet that would go out to those interested.
Carter made a motion to advertise nationally. She said they need a fire chief who would stay and make Lehigh their home.
Board Chairman Cathy Kruse called for a vote on Carter’s motion, with each member agreeing without further comment.
Board signs on with firm to find new fire chief
At a special meeting on March 14 of the Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue District, a Bradenton firm was selected to take over the search for a new fire chief.
Chief John Wayne recently announced that he would be retiring as of July 4.
Jim Steffans, chief executive officer of the JTS Association, met with the board to discuss procedures in hiring a new chief.
He worked with the Fort Myers Beach Fire Board last year in its hiring of a new fire chief. Steffans has more than 40 years of fire service in various degrees of training and management and has executed searches for executives in the fire control business.
The board listened to Steffans’ plans and agreed in a unanimous vote to hire his firm at a cost of $12,500.
He offered a seven-step process in hiring a new chief and explained detailed plans to the board. He said advertising for a new chief comes first and would take about 30 days.
His estimate of the cost of advertising was about $1,000 for the month.
He also told the board that it needs to choose five to seven people from Lehigh to serve on a panel to aid in the process. The group would meet with the final applicants.
“These people should be community leaders and people who know a lot about Lehigh and its characteristics,” he said. “Any more than seven people would be too large.”
The group should also include labor representatives and fire officers.
“This group would narrow it down to three to five applicants who would meet with each board member on a one-on-one basis, and then the whole five-member board would interview the candidates all at a public meeting,”?he said.
Steffans said it may take four to eight weeks before the finalists come before the board. He told the board it should consider reimbursement costs to those applicants, who may come to Lehigh twice and may have to stay a few days.
“It does incur a cost for the final applicants for them to stay at a hotel and also have their meals paid for,” Steffans said.
He said a final choice would be two candidates for the board’s considerations.
He explained in more detail the various things that the board would be responsible for in the selection.
“I would suggest a meet-and-greet time for the final candidates, a tour of the district,” Steffans said. “At the meet-and-greet, the finalists could talk to any of the staff and others.”
Those items could cost between $15,000 and $16,000.
There was a discussion of the requirements and duties for the new fire chief, given to Steffans. He did not agree with some things listed and made suggestions to the board.
Steffans said when he returned this week, he would have what he considers would be a good list of requirements to be included in the three- to four-page pamphlet that would go out to those interested.
Carter made a motion to advertise nationally. She said they need a fire chief who would stay and make Lehigh their home.
Board Chairman Cathy Kruse called for a vote on Carter’s motion, with each member agreeing without further comment.
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