Morton County appoints Mike Rodriguez as interim Fire Chief amid dry, windy conditions

Morton County Commissioners appointed Mike Rodriguez, Elkhart Fire Chief, as interim Fire Chief at a special meeting on Jan. 17, 2026, citing dry weather and high winds that raised local fire danger. The appointment is effective immediately and will remain in place until the county’s application and statutory hiring process is completed.

Vice-Chairman Ed Anderson called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. and the board discussed the county attorney’s request that they make a short-term appointment because of elevated fire risk. Commissioner JW Finn moved to appoint Rodriguez; Anderson seconded the motion, which the minutes record as approved. The minutes note the commissioners reviewed and made one change to the job description before taking the vote.

Commissioners also discussed interviewing applicants for the permanent position and polling volunteer firefighters and municipal fire chiefs for recommendations. The board decided to contact local stakeholders as part of the recruitment and selection process while Rodriguez serves in the interim role. The meeting adjourned at 1:52 p.m.