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Vacaville honors retiring Fire Chief Chris Conception and appoints retired annuitant as interim chief
Summary
Mayor John Carley proclaimed Jan. 16, 2026 "Chris Conception Day" in recognition of Chief Conception’s 35‑year career. The council also approved hiring retired annuitant Frank Drayton as interim fire chief during recruitment for a permanent replacement and authorized a one‑time budget augmentation.
The Vacaville City Council honored Fire Chief Chris Conception on Jan. 13 with a proclamation recognizing his 10 years as Vacaville fire chief and 35 years in fire service. Mayor John Carley read a proclamation noting department growth during Conception’s tenure, including increased daily staffing, additional ambulances and new fire stations.
Chief Conception responded to the proclamation, expressing gratitude for the honor and saying he reserved detailed comments for his retirement ceremony planned later that week.
Separately, council approved a staff request to appoint a retired annuitant, Frank Drayton, as interim fire chief under California Government Code provisions that permit retired PERS annuitants to serve short‑term in critical positions. Staff explained the interim appointment is time‑limited (up to 960 hours per fiscal year), is intended to maintain continuity while the city conducts a national recruitment, and that the appointment includes an estimated one‑time fiscal impact of approximately $51,000 for the remainder of the fiscal year (largely offset by salary savings). Assistant HR staff explained the requested augmentation covers overlap and recruitment costs.
Council unanimously approved the interim appointment and the budget augmentation to ensure uninterrupted command and emergency response operations during the recruitment process.
