Decatur council appoints Deputy Chief Nathan Springer as fire chief over transparency objections

The Decatur City Council voted 4–1 on Nov. 11 to appoint Deputy Chief Nathan Springer as the city's fire chief after exempting the usual open recruitment process.

Council members who supported the appointment said Springer’s long record and credentials made him the strongest internal candidate. A representative of human resources summarized his qualifications and training, saying Springer has “25 years in the fire service,” has served in the department for a substantial period and has completed executive-level coursework. At the podium, Springer thanked the council and said he would prioritize firefighter safety, training and interagency partnerships: “I take the duties and accountability of this role very seriously… We will continue to prioritize firefighter safety, professional development, and innovation in emergency response.”

Opponents — including current and former department employees and multiple residents during public comment — urged the council to hold an open, competitive hiring process. Sarah French told the council she had been contacted by city employees who said they were unaware of the impending appointment and “begging me to come and speak on their behalf,” arguing that many wanted the opportunity to apply and be interviewed. Suzanne Johnson asked, “Do y’all understand what the word transparency means?” and called the appointment “insulting” to the department and residents for bypassing public hearings and candidate meet-and-greets.

Sharonda Ackland, speaking during general public comment, said voters had expected a new era of openness and that the city’s firefighters “deserve better” than an appointed process that denies internal candidates a chance to apply. The council considered this public feedback before the vote.

Council supporters said the exemption is permitted by policy and pointed to past precedents for direct appointments when a candidate demonstrably exceeds minimum qualifications. One council member who backed the appointment said the city would be hard-pressed to find an internal or external candidate with Springer’s combination of experience and institutional knowledge.

The motion to appoint passed 4–1. The council did not adopt a separate timeline for a future open recruitment for the chief position, and the record does not show that an external search will be launched now that Springer has been named.

What’s next: Springer will assume the duties of fire chief and the council and staff said they will continue normal department oversight and community engagement. The appointment’s dissenting council member and several public commenters urged future searches for top positions to be advertised and to include public opportunities to meet finalists.