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Board swears in new fire chief and tables ordinance on promotion-from-within after union's plea
Summary
The board approved and swore in Thomas Dena as fire chief and ceremonially sworn in a new police officer; after public comment from the firefighters' union urging retention of an internal-promotion ordinance, trustees tabled a related amendment to the fire division code and asked for a workshop.
The University Park Board of Trustees approved a resolution appointing Thomas Dena as fire chief and performed a ceremonial swearing-in. The board also ceremonially swore in police officer Rodney Montgomery.
During public comment, Elaine Nesbbit, president of University Park Professional Firefighters Local 3661, urged trustees not to repeal an ordinance that requires promotion from within the department, citing long-serving staff and the department's institutional knowledge. Mayor Rudz said repealing the internal-promotion rule would allow the village to hire outside candidates in pursuit of diversity and the best-qualified applicants.
Trustees agreed to hold a workshop to discuss fire-department promotion policy and other related issues. Trustee Thompson moved to amend the ordinance action and table the ordinance until a workshop between the board, the union and staff could be held; the motion to table passed. Trustees said the workshop should produce clarity on whether the ordinance's language needs to change and how the department's promotional pathway should operate.
The board said it would schedule a workshop date and asked staff to coordinate participants from the fire department and the union so that concerns could be fully aired before proceeding with any repeal or amendment.
The swearing-in of Chief Dena and Officer Montgomery was followed by brief remarks of congratulations and applause from trustees and attendees.
