SHELBY — Capt. Samuel Sauder will be officially sworn in on Oct. 31 as the new chief of the Shelby Fire Department.
Shelby Mayor Steve Schag announced Monday afternoon that a ceremony is planned for 11:30 a.m. on the final day of October at the Shelby Fire Station, 40 High School Ave.
The public is cordially invited to attend, the mayor said.
Schag announced on Oct. 3 that Sauder had been selected as the next chief following a “comprehensive and rigorous promotional examination process.”
The second candidate who applied for the chief’s position was Capt. Randall Washburn.
“This was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made in my long tenure as mayor,” Schag said Oct. 3. “We were blessed to have two highly qualified and exceptional candidates applying for this position.
“As longtime members of this department, they have a shared vision to provide the highest level of safety service to our community.”
Former Shelby fire Chief Mike Thompson announced his decision to leave the fire station and return to the classroom back in July.
Thompson now leads Pioneer Career and Technology Center’s new first responder program — leaning on about eight and a half years of background in education.
Shelby fire Capt. Brian Finnegan was sworn in as acting fire chief by Schag on July 30. He officially filled the role at midnight on Aug. 13.
The Shelby Civil Service Commission led the process for administering the testing for the position of fire chief — which was conducted by a third-party agency.
