Public invited to meet, greet EF&R fire chief candidates

Published 5:07 pm Monday, November 30, 2015

All are welcome to meet Eastside Fire & Rescue fire chief candidates during a special board meeting at Hilton Garden Inn in Issaquah Tuesday at 5 p.m.

“We have four really excellent candidates,” Eastside Fire board member and chair of the personnel committee Bob Keller said. Keller also sits on the Sammamish City Council.

There are four candidates, including interim Fire Chief Greg Tryon, interviewing for the position vacated by former Fire Chief Lee Soptich.

Soptich, whose last day was Monday, announced his retirement at the end of 2014. He had been the fire chief since 1995.

Tryon is the only local candidate applying for the job. The other three are being flown into the area Tuesday for the meet and greet and panel interviews Wednesday, Keller said.

The Tuesday special meeting gives board members a casual opportunity to engage with the candidates before a day of interviews with 16 people, broken into three panels, Wednesday.

Panelists include several local fire chiefs, a police chief, a battalion chief, a volunteer firefighter, a union representative, two city managers, a community member at large and the Eastside Fire personnel committee, Keller said.

“They’re going through an extensive format,” Keller said.

The Eastside Fire & Rescue board received 24 applications originally for the opening.

Ideally, the panelists will bring a recommendation for board approval at the Eastside Fire regular meeting Dec. 10.

The preferred start date for the next fire chief is Feb. 1, 2016.

Dates are subject to change.

The Hilton Garden Inn is located at 1800 N.W. Gilman Blvd.

All regular Eastside Fire meetings are held at its headquarters, 175 Newport Way N.W, Issaquah.