Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Interview with the City Council

The purpose of this work-session is for the City Council to conduct an interview for the City of Ramsey's Fire Chief /Emergency Management Director position.    

As the City Council will recall, the City's current Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director (EMD), Dean Kapler, submitted a letter of retirement indicating that his last day with the City would be on or near March 1, 2016.  The City Council, via a consensus, directed staff to conduct an open competitive recruitment that would include both internal and external candidates in one collective recruitment.  

As a result of the City Council's direction to staff, the following occurred: 
  1) Advertising:  staff advertised the Fire ChiefEMD opening with the following sources:  City website, City Facebook pages, Anoka County Union and Anoka County Shopper, Star and Tribune with Diversity Outreach, QCTV Cable TV, League of Minnesota Cities, Metro HR Managers, Minnesota Works.net, International Association of Fire Chiefs, Minnesota State Fire Chief's Association, Minnesota State Fire Department's Association, and internally; 
2) Leadership Surveys: a Fire Department  survey was conducted amongst the Paid-on-call Firefighters as well as the Ramsey and Nowthen City Councils,  seeking feedback regarding the future leadership of the Fire Department;
3) Applications:  staff received 17 completed applications, of which 7 applicants met the minimum requirements of the position;
4) Interviews: all seven applicants were interviewed by the first interview panel which consisted of the following individuals:  Police Chief, Fire Chief/EMD, Assistant City Administrator/Economic Development Manager, Human Resources Manager, City of Nowthen Chief Administrative Officer, one Paid-on-call Firefighter, and the Elk River Fire Chief.  Three candidates were recommended to advance on to the second interview panel which consisted of the following individuals:   City Administrator, Police Chief, Fire Chief/EMD, Finance Director, Community Development Director, Public Works Superintendent, Human Resources Manager, Fire Marshal, City of Nowthen Chief Administrative Officer, one Paid-on-call Firefighter and the Elk River Fire Chief.  Both panels unanimously placed Mr. Matt Kohner as their top candidate stating that, in both cases, Mr. Kohner, without a doubt, clearly excelled as the best overall candidate to be considered as the next Ramsey Fire Chief/EMD;
5) Employment Testing:  staff completed the necessary backgrounds checks, reference checks, and leadership assessment.  

Based on the findings of all five of these items, staff recommends considering Mr. Matt Kohner this evening for the position of Fire Chief/EMD with the City of Ramsey.  Tonight's interview panel will be made up of the City Council, City Administrator, Police Chief, Human Resources Manager, Elk River Fire Chief John Cunningham, and two members of the Nowthen City Council, specifically Mayor Jeff Pilon and Councilmember Paul Reighard.

If the consensus of the City Council is to appoint Mr. Matt Kohner as the City's next Fire Chief/EMD, a case will be brought forward to the City Council at the March 8, 2016, City Council meeting including an anticipated start date of Monday, April 11, 2016. If a consensus of the Council is not achieved, it is recommended that the City re-advertise the position and seek other potential candidates.

Lastly, prepared interview questions will be distributed to the City Council at the work-session.

Note:  Fire Chief/EMD Dean Kapler has prepared a case for tonight's consent agenda to appoint Fire Marshal Schiferli, as Interim Fire Chief.  Matt Kohner, the City of Ramsey's current Paid-on-call Assistant Fire Chief, is currently a Certified Emergency Manager and he will serve as the temporary Emergency Management Director until the City Council takes action at the March 8, 2016, meeting.

One plus hours

There is no funding required at this time.

Colleen Lasher, Human Resources Manager

Consensus agreement to consider hiring Mr. Matt Kohner as the City of Ramsey's next Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director at the next regular meeting.

If a consensus of the Council is not achieved, it is recommended that the City re-advertise the position and seek other potential candidates.