The Stow City Civil Service Commission voted to authorize an interview- and leadership-focused promotional examination for the city’s next police chief, rather than a traditional paper-and-pencil test.

Commissioners approved a motion that the promotional examination “not be the traditional paper and pencil test, but instead be something that measures leadership and vision,” and to defer how the assessment is conducted to the mayor and his administration. The motion was seconded by Miss Campbell and carried with recorded affirmative votes from Miss Campbell, Mister Spring and Mister Ebenor; no opposing or abstaining votes were recorded on the transcript.

The commission considered an outside legal opinion that interpreted the city charter and state law as allowing a promotional examination that can include written tests, oral boards, physical components and work-experience evaluations. Commissioners and staff discussed the department’s internal candidate pool and timing for selecting a successor.

Commission discussion noted there are three candidates who meet the basic eligibility criteria at present. One is the incumbent chief, who has signaled a willingness to remain for a limited period; another candidate will reach full qualifications in about two months; and a third candidate is completing coursework to meet degree requirements. Commissioners and staff said those internal timelines influenced the choice to prioritize leadership assessment over a standard written test.

Participants also discussed the incumbent chief’s retirement timing and options for continuity: the transcript records that one chief is scheduled to retire in November and participates in a deferred retirement (referred to in the meeting as the “DROP” program), and that a retire-and-rehire arrangement on contract was a possible interim option. Commission members said that history of prior chief selections — including interview-and-ride-along assessments for fire chief hiring — supported using a structured interview process to evaluate leadership and fit.

The commission agreed the body’s role is to ensure the process complies with law and is objective, while final selection from the eligible pool is for the mayor and the administration to make. Commissioners discussed the possibility of the commission chair participating in interviews or portions of the assessment as an observer and to offer questions, consistent with past practice.

No new formal ordinance, rule change or hiring contract was adopted at the meeting; the commission’s action authorized the format of the promotional examination and deferred implementation details to the mayor’s office and administration.