Fairlawn Names Interim Fire Chief

Capt. Russ Hose has been named interim chief to fill in the spot for retiring Chief Glenn Goodrich, whose last day with the fire department will be Wednesday.

Firefighting is in the interim chief’s blood. Hose, 55, who has been with the Fairlawn force since 1982, said he was an Air Force firefighter for four years before that. His father, Bud Hose, was an Akron firefighter for nearly three decades.

Hose said he doesn’t plan wholesale changes in the department. “We’ll play it by ear. Maybe a few little things, but nothing earth-shattering and that’d probably be up to the next chief.”   

While Goodrich is retiring at age 56, he’s probably not leaving Fairlawn service entirely. The City Council is deliberating an ordinance appointing Goodrich to a part-time job as special projects director for the city.

Meanwhile, the city moved quickly to appoint a successor to Goodrich.

Mayor William Roth Jr. withdrew an ordinance creating the position of interim chief that was on Tuesday’s agenda at the City Council meetings, and instead announced that Hose would be interim chief while the city conducted an open search for a permanent chief.

“The reason is that we will have a successor (Hose)," Roth said. "However, with this ordinance Capt. Hose would have to leave Civil Service and I understand he wishes to remain in Civil Service. He will be captain, but he will also be interim chief.”

Roth and members of the council took time to thank Goodrich for his years of service.

“Glenn has served very faithfully, very well,” Roth said. “On behalf of the city, I’d like to thank you.”  

In other action Tuesday, the council:

• Passed an ordinance that would authorize seeking bids for a trash disposal contract for three years with a two-year option to extend the contract. The contractor would remove refuse from the city’s trash compactor.  
• Approved a resolution authorizing application for state support under the Ohio Job Ready Sites program 6-0 (Council member Susan Sullivan was absent).      
• Kept in committee an ordinance to market a city-owned property in Fairlawn Corporate Park, spending $20,000 on advertising and marketing the property.
• Held in committee the ordinance appointing Goodrich as special projects director.
• Held in committee an appropriations and fund transfer ordinance.