Frankfort Fire Board Devotes Over 11 Hours to Private Fire Chief Search Meetings

Frankfort Fire Protection District Meeting | October 21, 2025

Article Summary: The search for a permanent Fire Chief in Frankfort intensified significantly in October, with the Board of Trustees holding a series of special meetings dedicated almost exclusively to closed-door deliberations. Over the span of two weeks, trustees spent more than 11 hours in private session interviewing and assessing candidates.

Frankfort Fire Protection District Key Points:

• Marathon Sessions: The Board met for nearly five hours on October 16 and nearly six hours on October 20 specifically for the chief search.

• Closed Process: All discussions regarding the “Interview and Assessment Process for Fire Chief Replacement” took place in closed session, as permitted by state law.

• No Final Decision: Despite the intensive schedule, the Board has not yet taken a public vote to hire a replacement.

The Frankfort Fire Protection District Board of Trustees dedicated significant time in October 2025 to the selection of a permanent Fire Chief, holding four meetings in under two weeks that focused heavily on the leadership transition.

Between October 9 and October 21, the Board spent a cumulative total of more than 11 hours in closed session discussing personnel matters related to the search.

The process began with a brief special meeting on Thursday, October 9, where trustees spent roughly 36 minutes in closed session. The schedule intensified the following week. On Thursday, October 16, the Board convened at 3:00 p.m. and remained in closed session for approximately four hours and 48 minutes, adjourning shortly before 8:00 p.m.

Just four days later, on Monday, October 20, the Board held another special meeting that lasted nearly six hours. Trustees entered closed session at 3:06 p.m. and did not return to open session until 8:55 p.m.

The discussions continued briefly into the regular meeting on Tuesday, October 21, where the Board spent an additional 15 minutes in private session.

Interim Fire Chief Paul Kinsella has been leading the department during the transition. While the Board agendas for all four meetings listed “Possible Action on Items Discussed in Closed Session,” no votes regarding the hiring of a new chief were taken when the Board returned to the public portion of the meetings.