Due to the resignation of the city’s administrative services director Mark Welch, previous fire chief Mike D’Orazi and a handful of layoffs, the city shuffled administrative positions and announced its new fire chief Tuesday night.
David Shepherd, the previous deputy fire chief and the acting fire chief after D’Orazi’s resignation, was appointed the city’s new fire chief, receiving positive remarks from City Council.
“Thank you for the opportunity for me to be your next fire chief. I will not let you down,” Shepherd said.
City Administrator Kelly Madding said she received a letter from the fire department union supporting Shepherd’s appointment.
Councilor Dennis Slattery called Shepherd one of Ashland’s “homegrown people.”
“I think that’s a very good sign that we have our own people invested in our community and have been here for a long time,” Slattery said.
Shepherd was hired at Ashland Fire and Rescue in 1997, and he’s been the deputy fire chief since 2015.