The Novato fire district’s next chief will be promoted from within the organization, the board decided at its meeting Wednesday.
In preparation for Chief Mark Heine’s retirement on Jan. 26, board members voted 5-0 to expedite the succession and seat a new fire chief by Feb. 1.
The board also unanimously voted for a salary range of $200,000 to $215,000 a year, not including benefits.
Heine said he has trained two potential successors over the past two years. Once board members have chosen the next chief, Heine said, he will spend a week preparing them to take over.
Heine, 54, a Petaluma resident, has worked for the fire district since 1986, starting as a firefighter/paramedic. He rose through the ranks and was named chief in 2013.