Janesville Deputy Fire Chief Jim Ponkauskas will serve as the department’s interim chief starting in January. The Janesville Police and Fire Commission selected Ponkauskas Oct. 3. Fire Chief Randy Banker will retire in January. Based on the existing shared administrative services agreement with the Janesville, Ponkauskas will, as Banker is doing, serve as interim chief of the Milton and Milton Township Fire Department. Ponkaukas, deputy fire chief of administration, began his career in the fire service in 1988 as a firefighter/EMT for the Orfordville Fire Protection District. He served as fire chief for 13 of his 26 years there. In 1994, he was hired by the Janesville Fire Department as a firefighter/paramedic. He has since held the positions of motor pump operator, lieutenant, acting captain, shift commander and his current position: deputy fire chief.