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Le Mars council approves Steve Schwartz as next fire rescue chief, effective Aug. 14
Summary
Following interviews of four applicants, the Fire Rescue Chief Interview Committee recommended Steve Schwartz; the council approved the hire with a starting salary of $115,000 and an effective date of Aug. 14, 2026.
The Le Mars City Council on May 19 accepted the Fire Rescue Chief Interview Committee's recommendation to hire Steve Schwartz as the next fire rescue chief, effective Aug. 14, 2026, when current Chief Dave Shipper retires.
The committee interviewed four applicants and formally recommended Schwartz. The chair read the committee's recommendation and noted that Schwartz, who currently serves as assistant fire rescue chief, has accepted and signed the offer letter. The council voted to approve the appointment and the recommended starting salary of $115,000.
Council members questioned the relatively small applicant pool (four applicants) and discussed recruitment challenges, citing salary competitiveness and difficulty recruiting full-time candidates. The council approved the hire and directed human resources and fire-rescue leadership to finalize onboarding steps for the Aug. 14 start date.
