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Fargo commission conditionally appoints Gary Lorenz as fire chief pending background checks
Summary
The Fargo City Commission voted to conditionally appoint Gary Lorenz, of the Grand Forks Fire Department, as the city’s next fire chief. The appointment is contingent on completion of background checks and pre-employment steps, with a formal swearing-in planned in July.
The Fargo City Commission on Monday conditionally appointed Gary Lorenz of the Grand Forks Fire Department as Fargo’s next fire chief, with the vote approving the appointment pending completion of routine background checks and other pre-employment steps.
City staff said the Fire Chief Selection Committee interviewed three finalists on May 28 and selected Lorenz as the top candidate after a roundtable, two formal interviews and a mock interview exercise. "Chief Lorenz was our top candidate," a staff member explained, saying the committee believed he was "the right fit for the department, for the leadership well into the future."
The appointment approved by the commission is conditional. Staff told commissioners that, after the commission’s vote, officials will complete a background check and other pre-employment requirements. A formal installation and swearing-in ceremony is planned at a July meeting, with dates under consideration of July 7 or July 21. "The motion tonight is simply to approve this appointment and we will move forward with the next aspects of the pre-employment," staff said during the presentation.
Commissioners praised the selection process and thanked the selection committee, which included two firefighters who participated in candidate interviews. "It was very thorough and we all had great participation," Commissioner Kolpak said, adding that the three finalists would all have been strong selections.
The commission voted by roll call to approve the conditional appointment. There were no recorded no votes.
The commission did not take further action on the fire department’s operations during the meeting; next steps are the background-check clearance and the July swearing-in.
