The City of Aberdeen has extended a conditional offer to a candidate to lead the Aberdeen Fire Department as fire chief.

The name of the candidate won’t be released until later in the process as part of the city’s policies, said Aberdeen’s Human Resources Director Dani Smith in a phone interview. The offer comes as part of the second round of candidate interviews.

“This recruitment started in August,” said Smith. “Most (candidates) are from within Washington state and some from the Midwest.”

Former fire chief Tom Hubbard retired earlier in the year, Smith said, after 10 years of service as the chief of the department. An offer extended to a candidate following the initial round of interviews in June was declined, Smith said.

Candidates went through several different panels of interviews, Smith said. Panels included a panel of outside fire chiefs and union representatives, Aberdeen city department heads alongside the mayor and city administrator, and department staff.

The city is looking for someone transparent, involved with the community, able to do more with less and who will continue efforts with regional fire authority consolidation, Smith said.

Assistant Chief Dave Golding has been acting as interim chief of the department, which has 37 uniformed personnel and a fire service specialist.

Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@thedailyworld.com.