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Summit swears in new council member and installs fire department leadership
Summary
At its July meeting the City of Summit swore in Andrew Smith as Ward 1 council member and installed Brian Harnois as fire chief along with promoted battalion and line officers. The council then adopted a resolution memorializing those appointments.
Andrew Smith was sworn in as Summit’s council member for Ward 1 at the City Council meeting on July 7, repeating the oath of office and joining the dais.
The council then turned to the Summit Fire Department, where Brian Harnois was introduced and sworn in as fire chief. A presenter summarized Harnois’s career with the Summit Fire Department, noting more than 22 years of service including work as a training officer and a battalion chief promotion in February 2024. Harnois told the council he was “deeply honored and humbled to accept the role of fire chief for the city of Summit” and pledged to “work tirelessly to protect our community, support our firefighters, [and] ensure our department continues to provide the highest levels of service.”
The council also sworn in Matthew (Matt) Lemons as battalion chief and James (Jimmy) Hintz as lieutenant. Christopher Jackson took the oath as a probationary firefighter; the presenter summarized Jackson’s academic credentials and fire‑service certifications and welcomed him to the department.
After the oaths, Council member Andrew Smith moved to adopt a resolution memorializing the appointments; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote. Fire Chief Harnois thanked the mayor and council and acknowledged outgoing leadership, saying he looked forward to “building on [Chief Evers’s] legacy.”
Why it matters: The new leadership shifts the fire department’s command and will shape training, risk‑reduction and emergency response policies in Summit. The council’s prompt memorialization of the appointments formalizes the personnel changes after a prior closed‑session discussion.
What’s next: The department will continue normal operations under Chief Harnois while the council and administration support transitions and public‑facing updates on service and community safety initiatives.
