Help wanted: City seeks fire chief

By Jason Miller, The News-Dispatch

The search for a new fire chief will begin this week, said Mayor Chuck Oberlie, who added that he would prefer to replace Ralph Martin with someone currently on the Michigan City Fire Department.

“That's our first objective, to hire from within,” Oberlie said Monday. “I wouldn't anticipate having to go outside the department. That would require (city) council approval and I think we have good candidates internally.”

Oberlie said Monday he hoped to get notice to the department offices by today, in hopes of compiling a list of candidates in the next “couple of weeks.”

He said he'd give applicants about two weeks to file their resumes and state their interest in the position. Oberlie will then begin the interview process, the length of which, he said, will depend on the number of applicants.

Oberlie said he's not required to interview all applicants.

“I reserve the right not to,” he said. “It depends on how many there are and how well qualified they are.”

Oberlie went through a similar process nearly three years ago after former Michigan City Police Chief Gene Simmons announced his retirement.

He chose current chief Ben Neitzel from a pool of 10 applicants, each of whom was a Michigan City police officer at the time.

Martin announced in February that he would retire this year. His last day with the department was March 13.

With his retirement, Martin wrapped up 35 years of service with the department, 12 of which were as chief.

Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.

Interim fire chief named
By Jason Miller, The News-Dispatch

A day after saying he was beginning the search to replace retired fire chief Ralph Martin, Mayor Chuck Oberlie on Tuesday appointed an interim replacement to serve until a full-time chief is hired.

Fire Capt. Randy Novak, a Michigan City firefighter since 1986, said Tuesday he's honored to receive the appointment, but said he would not seek to be the full-time fire chief.

In an interview at City Hall on Tuesday afternoon, Novak didn't say why he will not pursue the job, saying only that he wouldn't “put in for it at this time.”

“It's an honor and privilege to serve the city during this interim time,” Novak said. “I'm thankful for the confidence (Mayor Chuck Oberlie) has shown in me.”

Oberlie said in appointing an interim chief, he sought out a candidate who wasn't interested in applying for the chief's job. He said it makes the process of choosing a full-time chief easier and keeps away any notion that he has a hand-picked candidate.

“This certifies the fact that this is an open process,” Oberlie said. “Everybody would reach the conclusion that the interim was the person I wanted. I want them to know that this is an open application process.”

Oberlie said Novak is a certified emergency technician, an extrication technician and has several other “fire related” certifications.

He thanked Novak for accepting the position.

“We are grateful for his commitment first to the safety of our employees and equally to our citizens,” Oberlie said.

Oberlie on Monday opened the application process to replace Martin, whose last day was last week. He said the department would accept resumes for two weeks before starting to choose candidates to call in for interviews.

Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com