Council adopts ordinance to create Fire Chief qualifications committee; mayor to receive top five recommendations

The City Council adopted Ordinance 20638, creating a Qualifications and Examining Committee to assist in selecting the next St. Paul Fire Chief.

Vice President Yang, who led the committee formation, said the slate includes a mix of Saint Paul residents, community leaders and public‑safety professionals and thanked assistant mayor Erica Schumacher for coordination. The ordinance requires the committee to review application materials and forward its top five recommendations to the mayor for interviews; the mayor will select finalists and the council expects to consider final approval of the appointment later in the year.

Council members commended the diversity of experience on the slate and expressed confidence that the committee will produce strong candidates. The ordinance was adopted unanimously (7–0).