The search for a new chief for the Wellington Fire Protection District is in the home stretch.
The district asked for applications for the paid position in August. According to current Chief Dave Netik, the department received 58 applications by the Aug. 31 deadline. By October, the board of directors had narrowed that to six candidates who were asked to come in for further testing and interviews.
Jennifer Netik, secretary of the board, said they hoped to make an offer to a potential candidate by the middle of November, with a tentative start date of Jan. 1.
Chief Netik said he did not apply for the job, in part because the minimum requirements now include an associate’s degree in business, which he does not have. He will continue to be assistant chief with the department, which is made up of a combination of volunteers and paid staff.