The town of Iowa is still without any prospects for a new fire chief as the end of their second application process draws near. The former chief, Sandra Miller, resigned from her position Oct. 10 following her September arrest for drug possession.
“It is a bit disconcerting that we have gone through one application process and are now going through a second one,” Mayor Carol Ponthieux said.
Ponthieux said that one applicant from the first process was interviewed for the position. “But that didn’t work out.”
“So the decision was made to advertise a second time despite it being the holiday season,” she said.
No applications have been received so far, and the deadline is Dec. 31, though Ponthieux said there was “some flexibility” regarding the deadline.
She also characterized the position as “entry-level” for those who have no previous fire chief experience but would like a chance to enter the upper echelon. She said that she is willing to work with applicants, even if they don’t necessarily have all their credentials.
“We are looking at all possibilities,” said Ponthieux, “We want someone who wants to climb that ladder of opportunity.”
Drug screenings and physical examinations are listed on the application as requirements of being employed by the town, and Ponthieux said that those requirements were in place before Miller’s arrest. Miller, who had been the Iowa Volunteer Fire Department chief since 2010, was accused in September of buying pills containing heroin from an online black market pharmacy. She has since been placed in the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s Office pretrial diversion program.
“We have unannounced, random drug screenings of our employees every month,” said Ponthieux.
If nothing comes out of this second round, Ponthieux said that she will discuss the issue with town council members one-on-one and then reach out to Ward 8 Fire District 1 board members. She also said that she believes acting chief Phil Mallett will continue to serve in the position until it is filled permanently. Mallet was the department’s volunteer assistant fire chief before Miller was suspended from her duties as chief immediately following her arrest.
“We appreciate all of his efforts,” Ponthieux said.
Online: iowala.org
from American Press: Your Best News And Advertising Source - Home http://ift.tt/2iMgb1D
0 التعليقات:
Post a Comment