Council allows interim chief to proceed with hiring one firefighter; debate continues over fast‑tracking chief hire

The Mooresville Town Council on July 1 voted to allow the interim fire chief to continue with the hiring process for one full‑time firefighter position, while several council members said the chief‑selection process should be fast‑tracked.

The interim chief asked the council for permission to finish the hiring sequence for one firefighter vacancy and to proceed with interviews already underway. The chief noted physical‑agility testing and other pre‑employment steps were complete for candidates and said interviews were the remaining step. He requested permission to proceed so the department could increase street coverage.

Council members differed on whether to prioritize hiring a permanent fire chief before continuing other hires. One council member argued that the town should “put finding a chief on fast forward” to give leadership direction to the department; another said moving forward with hiring a firefighter would help short‑staffing immediately and avoid losing candidates mid‑process. A motion to allow the interim chief to proceed with hiring one regular firefighter (no promotion or rank change) was made and seconded. The motion passed with a majority; the meeting record shows one council member opposed, citing uncertainty about joint staffing with Brown Township and wanting the chief to have input on final hires.

Outcome: Motion approved to continue hiring one full‑time firefighter; interviews and hiring steps to proceed under interim chief’s administration, with the understanding that rank promotions are not authorized as part of this action. The council did not hire a permanent chief at the meeting.