Fire Chief Thomas R. Garrison has notified the city of his intent to retire from city service with his final day being September 16, 2016.

The City of Sparks has traditionally promoted from within for its executive positions starting with the City Manager working down through the executive management team and then further downward in the city’s middle management/professional services ranks, based upon past direction from City Council.

In this recruitment, the City Manager continues the tradition of looking at the internal pool to determine if a highly qualified candidate with knowledge of internal workings of the City of Sparks exists.  In this case, the City Manager finds that promotion from within allows the City of Sparks to retain valuable institutional knowledge and expertise, and is in keeping with the spirit of Council’s direction.

Executive management employees are appointed by the City Manager, per the City Charter.  The appointed employees are offered an Employment Agreement (contract) defining the terms, conditions, salaries and benefits of the position being offered.  The contract for Fire Chief exceeds $50,000 per year.  Thus, the City Council must decide whether to approve said contract.  Together, the City Manager and the City Council make these two key decisions of appointment and contract that determine the future direction of this key executive leadership position.

Given the importance of the role of Fire Chief to the organization, City Manager Stephen W. Driscoll respectfully submits this agenda item seeking the City Council’s ratification of his choice.

The Mayor, Council, and City Manager believe strongly in the tradition our fire department has had for over 100 years of promoting from its own ranks.

Meeting the Council’s goals of internal promotion within the Sparks Fire Department, the City Manager conducted a recruitment process as flows:

• A review of the current Fire Chief Job Description for the purposes of updating the details of the position.
• A review of the current employment agreements and pay resolutions affecting this position.
• Determined the potential internal candidate pool and confirmed with the current Fire Chief.
• Conferred with the Executive Board of the International Association of Firefighters Local No. 1265 to discuss desirable leadership traits for current and future Fire Department management positions.
• Conducted numerous personal interviews with the pool of candidates.
• Selected the candidate for promotion and appointment.
• Personally advised the other candidates and the Fire Chief of the Manager’s selection.
• Bring the City Manager’s appointment choice before the City Council to ratify that decision as directed by the City’s Charter (Sec. 1.080, 2.)

The interview process was designed allowing the City Manager and potential candidates to openly discuss the city’s operations; fire department operations; personal strengths; and the future of city operations including fire services. The Manager asked questions determining a desired level of proficiency in some of the following topics:

• Consistency
• Conflict resolution
• Sense of fairness
• Ability to remain calm under pressure
• Detailed knowledge of city operational rules (e.g., Administrative Rules, NRS288, Fire Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); Collective Bargaining Agreements, etc.)
• Ability to communicate to different levels of the organization
• Work through the “Chain-of-Command” and resist the urge to “micro-manage”
• Sense of city while being mindful of the “corps”
• Management work as an individual or a member of a team.

Based on the entire recruitment process, the City Manager has decided to appoint Division Chief Chris L. Maples to the position of Fire Chief, effective September 16, 2016.

If the Council ratifies the appointment of Division Chief Maples to the position of Fire Chief, the following additional actions are contemplated:

• Council approval of an employment agreement between the City of Sparks and Chris L. Maples, effective September 16, 2016.
• Upon ratification by the Council, Division Chief Maples would be designated by the City Manager as the “Acting Fire Chief” allowing him to train for the new position with Fire Chief Thomas R. Garrison until Chief Garrison’s retirement on September 16, 2016.
• Acting Fire Chief Maples will evaluate and determine the personnel changes needed to complete his management team.
• On September 16, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. (PDT), Fire Chief Thomas R. Garrison officially retires from service to the citizens, Mayor, Council, and City Manager of the City of Sparks.
• On September 16, 2016 at 5:01 p.m. (PDT) Acting Fire Chief L. Chris Maples assumes the position and duties of Fire Chief for the City of Sparks.

Chris L. Maples started his career with the Sparks Fire Department as a Firefighter in November 1995.  He was promoted to Operator in December 2001, to Captain in January 2007, and Battalion Chief in October 2011.  In August 2013 he was appointed Division Chief and is responsible for the Training and Administration Divisions in the department.

Chris is a member of the Department’s Labor/Management Committee and chairs the Safety Committee.  Regionally, he sits on the E911 Committee; Washoe County Local Emergency Planning Committee; Regional Public Safety Training Center Ops Committee; and the Northern Nevada Training Officers Committee.

Previously, he served on the department’s Commendation Review Committee; the City’s Health Care Committee; and the Regional Hazardous Materials Team Training and Ops Committee.

During his career with the Sparks Fire Department, Chris has been a member of the Hazardous Materials Team and the Water Rescue Team.  He served as a member of Local 1265’s Executive Board, and held the offices of Vice President and President for the Union.  Additionally, he served as President of the Chief Officer’s Association.  He has been on negotiating teams for both organizations.

Chris has a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resource Management from the University of Nevada, Reno and an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science from the Truckee Meadows Community College.

He served in the United States Navy from 1976 to 1980 and the Nevada Air National Guard from 1980 to 1984.

Chris and his wife Roxanne recently celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary.  He has two married sons, both of whom live in the City of Sparks.  His first grandson, Harlen, was born in September, 2015.

1. The City Council may ratify the City Manager’s recommendation to appoint Division Chief Chris L. Maples to the position of Fire Chief, effective September 16, 2016, as submitted by staff.
2. The City Council may decline to ratify the City Manager’s recommendation to appoint Division Chief Chris L. Maples to the position of Fire Chief.
3. The City Council may decline to ratify the City Manager’s recommendation and provide other direction to the City Manager.

“I move to ratify the City Manager’s recommendation to appoint Division Chief Chris L. Maples to the position of Fire Chief, effective September 16, 2016.”