MONROE — The City of Monroe Police and Fire Commission on Thursday agreed to resume the search for a fire chief, after the process had been on hold.

The commission voted to open the application process after it had been closed for nearly a year, as the search for a new fire chief was on hold while a city committee looked at potential changes to the operations and structure of Monroe’s Fire Department.

“We have decided to resume our recruitment,” said PFC Chair David Deininger, following a short-closed meeting Thursday during which the committee weighed its options and agreed to hire two new firefighters.

The City of Monroe has been without a full-time fire chief since April 2022 after William Erb abruptly resigned three months on the job. According to Koch, the Police and Fire Commission Chair at the time, the reason for the abrupt resignation of the newest Monroe chief “was directly related to the turmoil in the fire department.”

Al Rufer was named interim fire chief shortly after, his second time in the role as interim fire chief, and he continues in that leadership role.

The committee also approved a yet undisclosed pay range for the new chief.

City Administrator Brittney Rindy said the commission hopes to have several candidates available for PFC recommendation by the end of August, and that they process of hiring someone will move swiftly after that.

Officials, meanwhile, have pointed out that Monroe is not alone in struggling  not only with hiring but with the balance between their police and fire commissions and local governments when it comes to emergency operations.