The city of St. Paul named the four finalists for its vacant fire chief position. City officials expect to appoint a new chief by late October.

The four are William Austin, the current fire chief in West Hartford, Conn.; Tim Butler, St. Paul's director of emergency management; Keith Morehead, deputy chief for the St. Paul Fire Department, and Donald Oliver, fire chief in Wilson, N.C. Jay Benanav, chairman of the selection committee, told the Star Tribune that Butler was the committee's first choice.

The department was rife with conflict between Mayor Chris Coleman, former Chief Doug Holton and the rank-and-file members. Part of the criticism stemmed from Holton being hired from outside the department. This spring, Holton left St. Paul to become the fire chief in Milwaukee, the city he left to run the St. Paul department.

Florida Chief Resigns
The Naple Daily News reports that Paul Wilson resigned his post as fire chief for the Ochopee (Fla.) Fire Control District after eight years in that position. Wilson resigned because injuries he sustained in an on-duty vehicle accident kept him from performing his duties. Isles of Capri Assistant Chief Alan McLaughlin will serve as interim chief.