By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
The City of Burlington Police and Fire Commission interviewed two candidates to succeed retiring Police Chief Mark Anderson Thursday in a closed session.
However, it is unclear if the two candidates are finalists, or if they are officers within the police department, since the PFC immediately adjourned into a closed session.
City officials declined to disclose the names of those seeking the position, and if anyone else applied as the meeting went into the closed session.
Anderson, who has served as police chief since 2015, announced his plans to retire during Tuesday’s Common Council reorganization meeting about a month after the FPC began discussing the matter.
“I want to thank you all, thank you Mayor (Jeannie Hefty), thank you (City Administrator Carina Walters), thank you to the members of the Common Council and all of the department heads for all of the support you have given me throughout my career,” he said.
“My last day will be May 20 this year. I am not good with words, which is weird for a cop, but the support you guys have given me throughout the years is immeasurable.”
The FPC, meanwhile, began weighing succession options at a March 14 meeting and decided to initially create an internal posting.
However, if the internal positing did not yield results, the FPC directed city officials to issue a public notice regarding the eventual vacancy.
On Monday, one day before Anderson announced his retirement, fire and police commissioners convened in a closed session to prepare for interview questions addressed to candidates.
Anderson has served the city police department for decades, including time as interim police chief, before being officially promoted in 2015 to succeed Peter Nimmer.
Additional coverage of this matter will appear in the April 28 edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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