South Shore Should Have New Chief This Week

If all goes according to plan, South Shore will have a new fire chief by the end of the week.

The two finalists - Jeff Swanson and Robert Stedman - are undergoing final interviews Tuesday and Thursday, and the Police and Fire Commission is expected to make a decision Friday.

Interviews include the candidates and their spouses having final conversations with PFC members, getting a tour of the South Shore communities, visiting fire stations and meeting firefighters.

Tim McGrath of McGrath Consulting, the firm hired to find and vet fire chief candidates, said both Swanson and Stedman are extremely qualified and a good fit for South Shore, but they're also very different so the PFC will have a clear choice.

"These finalists represent two very different approaches," he said. "The PFC has a clear choice to choose the candidate they feel is the best fit with their philosophy."

Swanson is currently working as a consultant for a competitor of McGrath, and his most recent chief's position was with the New Lenox, IL, fire department. He has a Master's Degree from Benedictine University.

Stedman was the Mount Pleasant fire chief from 1989-1991 and is currently in charge of the emergency management programs at Milwaukee Area Technical College. He has a Master's Degree from University of Wisconsin-Stout.

William Miller, SSFD union president, has participated in the process and said he appreciates the invitation.

"It was refreshing because we were invited to participate from the beginning," he said. "We were able to spend time with the candidates and provide feedback through an open dialogue."

Miller agrees with McGrath's assessment of the two finalists and the clear choice facing the commission.

"They are well-qualified and each has a different set of skills that it will come down to the ultimate goal of the PFC," he said.

McGrath said he applauds the commission's approach to hiring a new chief because they allowed input.

"They understand the difference between having your say and having your way," he said. "Not all groups get that."

Miller also appreciates being involved.

"Conducting the interview process this shows respect for the union and the department's stance in the community," Miller stated.