Cookeville Utilizing MTAS To Aid In Fire Chief Search

The city of Cookeville is utilizing MTAS to find its next fire department chief.

City Manager James Mills said that they decided to use MTAS as a tool to find the best candidate for the job.

“You know we have experts looking into this, people who have a lot of experience searching for fire chiefs,” Mills said. “This’ll be the first, at least to my knowledge, an outside hire of a  fire chief we’ve ever considered. Not saying that won’t happen this time, but this is the first time we’ve ever considered a nationwide search.”

Mills said that out of 45 candidates who have applied nationwide, the committee has narrowed the list down to six of the highest-rated candidates, including one internal candidate. He said that interviews will be conducted Thursday and Friday of this week.

Mills said that they hope to make a decision by the end of the year. The position was left vacant by Chief Daryl Blair’s retirement in August when Captain Benton Young was appointed Interim Chief.