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Franklin Merit Commission approves process to rehire former firefighter Cody Melton
Summary
The Franklin Fire Merit Commission voted to extend an employment offer and begin rehiring steps for former firefighter Cody Melton, with the condition he re-enter as a probationary, entry-level employee; legal counsel said rehiring while the prior list remains active is "murky" but likely permissible.
The Franklin Fire Merit Commission voted to move forward with rehiring a former firefighter, agreeing that the candidate would restart as a probationary, entry-level employee.
Kathy Stolz, president of the Merit Commission, opened the personnel discussion by placing the rehiring item on the agenda. Chief Snyder said the candidate is on an eligibility list that expires 02/12/2026 and that the department currently has one vacancy. "He was a good firefighter," Chief Snyder said, noting the candidate left last spring for work in Decatur Township and "said he left for the wrong reasons." Deputy Chief Preston Starr added the candidate had nearly two years of prior service and no disciplinary issues.
Attorney Mike Kyle, the commission's counsel, described the legal situation as "murky" but said he believes rehiring the candidate while the earlier list still has priority "within the next month...is legally appropriate," though "there could be an argument for or against." Commissioners discussed options including resetting seniority and imposing a probationary period; several members argued for probation and loss of prior seniority so the hire would return as the newest employee.
After discussion, a motion to extend an offer of employment to the returning firefighter, conditioned on entering as a probationary employee and restarting department seniority, was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. Chief Snyder identified the candidate for the record as Cody Melton.
The commission did not record an individual roll-call tally in the public minutes; the motion passed by voice vote with no opposition recorded. Commissioners and staff also discussed local recruitment pressures, noting nearby departments had large hiring classes and that Franklin has lost candidates to neighboring jurisdictions.
Next steps: the department will proceed with making an offer under the approved conditions and complete standard hiring paperwork and onboarding for a probationary firefighter.
