(A) Other than the specific requirements described herein, nothing in this section should be interpreted in a manner that would amend any prior ordinance as they relate to the employment of a Fire Chief.
(B) The Village Fire Department shall have three officers: a First Assistant Chief, a Second Assistant Chief, and a Secretary. There shall be no Treasurer within the Fire Department. Any and all sections of any and all prior ordinances relating to a Fire Department Treasurer shall be vacated as they relate to the existence of, duties of and/or establishment of a Fire Department Treasurer. Otherwise, the prior ordinances shall remain in full force and effect except as amended herein.
(C) The officers (First Assistant Chief, Second Assistant Chief, and Secretary) shall be approved by the Board of Trustees upon the appointment by the Village President after and based on the recommendation of the Fire Chief and the results of an election held by Fire Department members. The term of each officer shall be two years, and the terms shall be staggered so that the appointments shall not occur within the same year. The initial terms shall be as follows: First Assistant Chief (two years); Second Assistant Chief (one year); and Secretary (two years). Nothing should prevent reappointment of any officer so long as the officer is re-appointed by the same process described above.
(D) The Fire Chief’s recommendation (described in division (C) above) shall be determined by her or his own review of the nominees and by an election by the members of the Fire Department. The Fire Chief’s recommendation is not bound by the results of the election. During the election, each member of the Fire Department (regardless of rank or position) shall receive one vote for each open office. When a vacancy occurs or is set to occur based on the term of the office described in division (C), the Fire Chief shall call an election for the office with 14 days’ written notice to all members of the Fire Department and by posting notice of the election in the Fire Department. Any nominations shall be made in writing and posted in the Fire Department no later than seven days before the election. The election shall take place by secret ballot, and a Village Trustee (who is not a member of the Fire Department) shall be present at the time the ballots are cast to tally the ballots with the Fire Chief. The Fire Chief and present Department officers may, at any time, create a proposed list of procedures to effectuate an efficient election process for approval by the Village President and Board, but the procedures cannot deviate from the basic structure described herein.
(Ord. 1071, passed 11-1-2018; Ord. 1073, passed 12-6-2018)