Retirement reception for outgoing Columbia fire chief
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A retirement reception for Columbia Fire Chief Clayton Farr Jr. was held Friday afternoon.
Farr worked for the Columbia Fire Department for more than 25 years, about two of which he served as chief. Farr has been chief since October 2022 when he was promoted after a nationwide search. Since 1998, Farr has worked in multiple positions in the department including assistant fire chief and interim chief.
ABC 17 News spoke with a few fire fighters on Friday and they had nothing but good things to say about Chief Farr. However, they also shared what they would want in the next fire chief.
Fire fighter Danny Spry said that they want stability. "We need somebody to stay here more than just two years, three years, we need somebody is going to come out. The city needs get somebody in here is going to be here long term and really establishing things as our community grows, the city grows. So we meet the needs of the citizens and as well as our members," Spry said.
According to the City of Columbia's website, Farr is the fourth permanent fire chief the city has had in the past ten years. Previous chiefs also have only stayed a few years each.
- 1988-2011: William Markgraf
- 2011-2015: Charles Witt
- 2015-2019: Randall White
- 2019-2022: Andy Woody
- 2022-2024: Clayton Farr Jr.
City spokesperson Sydney Olsen told ABC 17 News that they have had conversations with the fire fighters union and will work with them through their search.
"We obviously want the best working relationship moving forward with them as possible," said Olsen. "So we're going to find a fire chief that I feel like will be great at communication, and I think that's going to have a really positive role in building those relationships and working well with our fire union."
So far there have been 12 applicants for the position and Olsen says that they will be looking for Farr's replacement in house.
Asst. Fire Chief Jeffery Heidenreich told ABC 17 News that he understands that the next fire chief will have big shoes to fill. "You know, chief did a great job all the all of the members of the department that have stepped into the role of fire chief have taken us to where we're at today. And there's a lot to be proud of with that."
The city will start looking through the applications for fire chief and conducting interviews after April 6.
Micael Arnhart will serve as the interim chief as the city looks to fill the position after Farr retires April 1. A press release stated that Arnhart has been with CFD as its chief training officer since July 2021.
