Adopt Resolution #16-03-050  to Hire the City's New Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director

The purpose of this case is for the City Council to authorize the hiring of Mr. Matthew Kohner as the City of Ramsey's new Fire Chief /Emergency Management Director (EMD); which is necessary due to former Fire Chief/EMD Kapler's retirement. It should be noted that Fire Marshal Carey Schiferli will serve as the Interim Fire Chief until the the new Fire Chief begins.

Mr. Kohner successfully passed three phases of interviews, including the final interview with the City Council during the February 23, 2016 work-session and has successfully passed the City's pre-employment testing process.  Therefore, as a result of the City Council's direction on February 23, 2016, the recommendation is to hire Mr. Matthew Kohner as the City's new Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director, effective April 11, 2016, at an annual salary of $95,877 which is step 3 of the 2016 wage scale and to provide a credit of five vacation days.  As a department head, Mr. Kohner will be subject to a one-year probationary period and all personnel policies and benefits will apply normally. 

Background of the Recruitment Process
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 Chief/EMD 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; and 4) Interview Processes and Panel Members  First 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.  Second Interviews:  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; Final Interview:  The City Council interviewed Mr. Kohner on February 23, 2016.  Panel members included the Ramsey City Council (with the exception of Councilmember LeTourneau who was out of town), City Administrator Ulrich, Police Chief Katers, Human Resources Manager Lasher, Elk River Fire Chief Cunningham, and two members of the Nowthen City Council, specifically Mayor Pilon and Councilmember Reighard.

Attached:   1) Ramsey Fire Department Organizational Chart 2) Resolution

It may be of interest to note that Mr. Kohner has been on the Ramsey Fire Department since 2002 and has worked his way up beginning as a paid-on-call Firefighter through his current role as the City's paid-on-call Assistant Fire Chief, working out of Fire Station #2.   Mr. Kohner's experience also includes fulltime work at three fire departments as a Fire Inspector, Fire Marshal (with Ramsey from 2008-2013), and as Assistant Fire Chief.  He is currently certified by Homeland Security as an Emergency Manager and by Hamline University in Public Safety Administration. 

The 2016 funding required to hire Mr. Matthew Kohner, excluding health insurance, is $87,225.

To hire Mr. Matthew Kohner as the City's new Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director, effective April 11, 2016, at an annual salary of $95,877 which is step 3 of the 2016 wage scale and to provide a credit of five vacation days.

Motion to adopt resolution #16-03-050 to hire Mr. Matthew Kohner as the City's new Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director, effective April 11, 2016, at an annual salary of $95,877 which is step 3 of the 2016 wage scale and to provide a credit of five vacation days.