June 09--MODESTO -- A new chief for the Modesto Regional Fire Authority has been chosen and should be announced after clearing a background check, board members said.
The authority's previous chiefs, Mike Kraus and Gary Hinshaw, came from two of its partner agencies -- Modesto and Stanislaus County, respectively. The third, Salida, produced Dale Skiles, Hinshaw's No. 2, who became acting chief two weeks ago, but he won't get the top job, some board members said.
"Dale is a phenomenal asset," said Modesto Councilwoman Stephanie Burnside, "but we had great applicants with a much broader range of regionalization experience."
Kraus, a Modesto fire chief before the merger, and Hinshaw, previously the county's fire warden, served as chiefs of the fire authority for a little more than a year each.
The authority's fire board has discussed Hinshaw's successor in closed sessions after every meeting this year.
Bee staff writer Garth Stapley can be reached at [email protected] or (209) 578-2390.
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