Sept. 04--WATSONVILLE -- Mark Bisbee, the Watsonville Fire chief for the past nine years, stepped down from his post Wednesday to return to Cal Fire, city leaders said.
Watsonville City Manager Carlos Palacios said Bisbee joined Watsonville Fire in 2000 after working for Cal Fire for 15 years. During Bisbee's time in Watsonville, he helped upgrade the fire department's fleet, craft strategic plans, and drum up support to add firefighters with Measure G.
"We greatly appreciate Mark's service to our community," Palacio said in a statement.
Although city leaders said they planned for Bisbee's departure in the past few weeks, they did not say Wednesday who would succeed him.
Bisbee earned a $137,594 salary and $52,518 in retirement and health costs in 2012, according to state and Santa Cruz County records.
"I'm very grateful to have had the honor to serve as the city's fire chief. It's been wonderful, and I've learned and grown so much, but I'm following my passion and looking forward to returning to the agency where I began my career," Bisbee said in a statement.
Bisbee's leadership was noted during the Trabing, Martin and Summit wildfires in 2008, as well as in large blazes at the Wall Street Inn in 2005, Apple Growers Ice & Cold Storage in 2011 and Stag Hotel in 2012.
Administratively, Bisbee said the passage of Measure G this year positions Watsonville Fire for the future. Bisbee knocked on doors and rallied residents to vote for the measure, which will bring its firefighting staff of 24 to its fully budgeted staff of 33 firefighters.
"We've strengthened the professional development and training programs; stabilized staffing and achieved sustainable funding while making strides to improve fire prevention and to increase emergency and disaster response capabilities," Bisbee wrote.
"I'm very grateful and appreciative for the opportunity to serve the residents of Watsonville and for all I've learned and experienced during my tenure here. Watsonville is a special place: A place of challenges but also of resilience; (it's) a place that forges fortitude and develops determination."
It's not clear if Bisbee will collect separate pensions from the state and city when he retires from Cal Fire.
Copyright 2014 - Santa Cruz Sentinel, Calif.
