Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Appointments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Village appoints Richard Peterson as fire prevention chief; police staffing reaches full compliment
Summary
Village trustees approved the mayor's appointment of Richard Peterson as fire prevention chief; officials also noted hiring and academy progress for three police officers, including Jared Walters.
Trustees voted to confirm the mayor's appointment of Richard Peterson as chief of the fire prevention bureau for the Village of Manteno.
Mayor Annette Zimmerman requested a motion to appoint Peterson; a motion and second were recorded and a roll-call vote followed with "yes" votes recorded by trustees. The mayor said she and the village were "very happy for Rick" and noted he is a longtime firefighter.
The meeting record also reported the swearing-in and training status of new police hires. Village staff said Jared Walters, a Manteno resident and military veteran, began the police academy the day of the meeting and two other recent hires had completed the academy and started field training. The village said with these hires "we actually are fully staffed at this point which has been a long time coming because we've been short for a long time."
Why it matters: The appointment and new officer hires affect public-safety staffing and the village's capacity for fire prevention and police services. The appointment is an executive action the board affirmed by vote; police staffing updates were reported by the administration.
What was recorded: The mayor announced the retirement of long-serving Fire Chief Scott O'Brien and said the fire board appointed Richard (Rick) Peterson as the new fire chief; trustees then confirmed the appointment by roll call. Police personnel updates were presented by staff, who said the new officers are progressing through academy and field-training phases.
