GRAND BLANC, MI—The city of Grand Blanc Fire Department has a new assistant fire chief.
Grand Blanc firefighter Charles Farley has been promoted to the assistant fire chief position, the city announced Monday, Sept. 10.
The city of Grand Blanc officially launched lone fire services Thursday, July 25. This is a departure from a decades-long partnership with Grand Blanc Township.
Farley will have a wage of $26.58 per hour with a maximum of 26 hours per week and will serve under the direction of Fire Chief Dennis Smith.
In April, City Manager Wendy Jean-Buhrer hired Smith, the former Fenton Fire Chief, as the new city fire chief with a $60,000 salary.
RELATED:
- MI City to Launch Its Own Fire Department
- Chief for New MI Fire Department Sworn In
- New MI Fire Department Introduces Firefighters
The city chose to create its own department after the township decided in January to dissolve a 72-year-old fire authority partnership between the two communities.
The partnership agreement between the township and the city officially expired April 25. The township board agreed in March to pay $85,470 for a three-month extension to provide fire service to the city until July 24. The new department launched Thursday, July 25.
With very little time to make a decision on who would serve as the fire chief in the first year of the city manning its own department, Jean-Buhrer said in June the city did not post the position or collect multiple applications.
When hiring the assistant fire chief position, four internal candidates applied and interviewed with a board that included Mundy Township Fire Chief Ed Blight, Fenton Township Fire Chief Ryan Voltz, city of Fenton Fire Chief Bob Cairnduff, Flint Township Fire Chief Thomas Stadler, city of Grand Blanc Police Chief Brian Lipe, Jean-Buhrer and Human Resources Christina Irwin.
The committee came to the unanimous decision to hire Farley.
“His experience, leadership and understanding of the fire service will be a tremendous asset to this position,” a city of Grand Blanc news releases states.
Farley has multiple firefighting-related certifications including officer classes. He is a certified fire investigator and a retired Oakland County Sheriffs Deputy with over 25 years of law enforcement experience.
Charles Farley has experience in law enforcement and fire service. He retired from the Oakland County Sheriff Department after 25 years of service.
He has 20 years of fire service experience between three different municipalities, according to the release.
“He has been a great asset to the city of Grand Blanc with the opening of the Fire Department in July of 2019," the release states. "He continues to be a leader and mentor to the staff.”
———
©2019 MLive.com, Walker, Mich.
Visit MLive.com, Walker, Mich. at www.mlive.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
