Anne Arundel's top firefighter will retire May 1, county officials said Friday.
Fire Chief John Robert Ray, a 35-year veteran of the department, is the second county department head to announce his resignation in a week. Bob Hannon, chief of the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp., said he will retire April 30.
Ray didn't give a reason for his retirement and was unavailable for comment Friday. But in a news release, he said he looks forward to spending more time with his wife, Bridget, and their family, including a new grandson.
Ray was appointed chief in July 2008. Before that, he served in every major division of the department, including stints as county fire marshal and director of the department's Logistics Bureau.
As chief, he led a staff of more than 1,700 career and volunteer firefighters as well as civilian personnel. It was his second time leading a county department; in 2002, Ray led the Department of Inspections and Permits.
Ray also oversaw the construction of the Annapolis Neck and Marley fire stations, plus the implementation of an emergency medical services billing program that generated revenues exceeding $20 million.
While he was chief, he spearheaded the program to get residential sprinklers in newly constructed county homes and served as chairman of the Baltimore Metropolitan Fire Chief's Council.
Last year, the county firefighters' union issued a no-confidence vote in Ray, whom they said gutted the department following budget cuts. But on Friday, the union president said Ray did a good job with what he had.
"He saw the department through some of the worst financial times we've ever seen," Craig Oldershaw said.
Oldershaw said Ray kept the department afloat even as former County Executive John R. Leopold cut the department's budget.
"We wish him the best," he said.
Ray is the 11th person to leave the county since County Executive Laura Neuman was appointed in February.
"I want to thank Chief Ray for his 35 years of service to this community and wish him well in his future endeavors," Neuman said in a news release.
The county has launched a national search for Ray's replacement. If a permanent chief isn't selected by May 1, an acting chief will be appointed to serve in the interim.
Joe Larson, president of the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters Association, said he hopes the next chief is someone who remembers the department is jointly comprised of both professionals and volunteers, and sees the value in both.
Larson, whose organization represents more than 1,000 volunteers, worked with Ray on the sprinkler initiative. He also collaborated with Ray to use a $408,000 state grant to help pay for fire equipment purchased by the volunteers.
"We knew it was a possibility with the new county executive and how she was restructuring her administration," Larson said of Ray's retirement.
Though Neuman asked department heads to submit their resignations after she was appointed, Larson said he didn't believe Ray was forced out.
"I would see it as him retiring, as opposed to her accepting his resignation," he said.
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