The search for a new chief for the Sedona Fire District is heating up as the field is quickly being narrowed down.
In all, 62 individuals applied to fill the spot vacated by Kris Kazian, who left the district in January to accept a chief position in Colorado. His replacement is expected to be in place near the end of summer.
The SFD Governing Board was updated on the search progress on Tuesday, May 21, by Interim Chief Jayson Coil.
“We want to give you as many data points as we can and as much information as we can in order to make that informed decision,” he said. “At the end of the day, we want to make it where you have confidence in the decision made and ideally we have solidarity in the decision that’s made.”
The hiring timeline:
- April 30: Job opening closed. Phone interviews with applicants were conducted to determine who would advance to the next stage of the process.
- Wednesday and Thursday, May 22 and 23: Skype interviews took place with the 15 most qualified candidates.
- Monday, June 3: The top eight applicants selected will come to Sedona for an extensive assessment center that will include several different components at different stations throughout the district. Staff and board will have an opportunity to interact with the candidates.
- Tuesday, June 18: The three to four most qualified candidates invited to continue in the process will interview with the board and after this interview, the fire board will extend an offer to the candidate of their choosing.
- Mid-August: The selected candidate will assume the position of fire chief. The exact date is based upon the amount of time that lapses after the June 18 board meeting before an offer is accepted. When this occurs it will be about 60 days.
The job announcement states that the ideal candidate will be a dedicated public servant with superior interpersonal and communication skills and a proven track record as a confident and innovative leader who is comfortable operating in a dynamic environment.
The individual must exhibit strong relationship-building skills with an ability to solicit input and ideas from stakeholders and provide options and solutions on an array of fire service issues, always acting in the best interest of the district and surrounding community.
It goes on to state that the successful candidate will possess a comprehensive understanding of fire science and have the ability to quickly implement a mitigation strategy that takes into consideration the history of fires throughout the district, including wildland fires and urban interface, significance and impact of the historic fire protection corridors and the sprawling, geographically dispersed region. The pay scale for fire chief is currently at $132,958 to $161,611 per year.
Ron Eland can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 122 or by email at reland@larsonnewspapers.com
