Commissioners Say Technicality Delays Fire Chief Vote

The Shelton Board of Fire Commissioners did not make a recommendation for the city’s next fire chief on Tuesday. 

The board was scheduled to interview the three candidates at 6 p.m. Tuesday, then meet to discuss and recommend one to Mayor Mark Lauretti. 

But the interviews were cancelled Tuesday afternoon, and rescheduled to Dec. 13 at 6 p.m.

Fire Commissioner Justin Sabatino attributed the change to a technicality in the way the agenda was filed. 

Specifically, agendas must be filed by the chairman or the vice chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, Sabatino said. 

However, when the interviews were scheduled, the board did not have a chairman or a vice chairman appointed, Sabatino said. 

Both roles will filled on Dec. 6. 

Lauretti appointed Charles Sutton to be the chairman Tuesday, with a term to expire on Nov. 19, 2013. 

The Board of Fire Commissioners then voted at its 7:30 p.m. meeting Tuesday to make Ben McGorty the vice chairman. 

After interviews with the three candidates on Dec. 13, the board plans to hold another meeting to discuss and possibly recommend a candidate for chief.

The three candidates for Fire Chief are former chief Fran Jones, and volunteer firefighters Mike Ullrich and Paul Wilson. 

Ullrich was the initial recommendation from the Board of Fire Commissioners. But Lauretti, who has the final say on which person is appointed, twice rejected Ullrich for the spot. 

After the two rejections, the board decided to start the process over. 

The city has been without a fire chief since November 2010. 

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