Columbus Fire Marshal Position Shifts to Part-Time Status
What happened
Officials stated that James Chollett stepped down from the fire marshal role, and his termination was effective immediately. The Columbus City Council voted unanimously to terminate Chollett following a closed-door discussion, citing interpersonal factors and budgetary reasons. Mayor Lori An Gobert had previously recommended the appointment, which was intended to be a two-year, full-time position shared between Columbus and Weimar. The city plans to amend an ordinance to convert the role to part-time, hired by the city manager.
Why it matters
The original arrangement required a partnership between Columbus and Weimar for the full-time shared duties. The city stated that the other municipality was unable to move forward with the shared appointment. The new part-time structure is contingent on the city successfully amending the relevant ordinance.
Who's involved
- ColumbusThe city is restructuring the fire marshal office following a leadership change.
- Columbus City CouncilThe council voted on the termination of the full-time appointment.
- WeimarThe partner city whose capacity was needed for the shared fire marshal duties.