Six men will be considered for the top job at Loveland Fire Rescue Authority. City Manager Bill Cahill has hiring authority for the position, and has involved the LFRA Board of Directors in the process to find a new chief to replace Chief Randy Mirowski who will retire later this year. The finalists are:

  •  Ronald Bateman, Chief of the Johnstown-Milliken Fire Protection District;
  •  Donald Long, Deputy Chief of the Merced, Calif., Fire Department;
  • Raymond Melendrez, Division Chief in the Oceanside, Calif., Fire Department;
  • Mark Miller, Chief of Vail Fire and Emergency Services, and who served as Loveland Fire Rescue Department Chief from 2001 to 2005;
  • Jose Torres, Division Chief of the Santa Monica, Calif., Fire Department;
  • James Michael West, Shift Commander of the South Metro Fire Rescue Authority in Parker.

The finalists were selected from among 68 qualified candidates from throughout the nation. They emerged from a group of 12 semi-finalists.

The six candidates will be in Loveland Aug. 20-21 for interviews and meetings. Their two-day visit will include presentations to LFRA employees and board members at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20, in the Civic Center’s City Council Chamber. The LFRA board will meet Aug. 28 to review the candidates and direct Cahill to negotiate with finalists. Cahill said he hoped to announce a new LFRA Chief in early September.

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