Interim Police, Fire Chiefs to be Interviewed by Commission Wednesday

Interim Fire Chief Jon Cohn and Interim Police Chief Brad Wentlandt will be the first two candidates to interview for the vacancies created by the June retirements of chiefs Russ Spahn and Frank Springob.

Whether or not they are the only candidates interviewed remains to be seen.

On Monday, the city released the agenda for a special meeting of the Police and Fire Commission scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3, at the . According to the agenda, both Cohn and Wentlandt will be given oral interviews in closed session.

The meeting comes just five days prior to a regularly scheduled commission meeting slated for 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8, also at the Law Enforcement Center.

Cohn, the former Greendale chief, replaced Spahn on June 1. Spahn, who spent five years as the city's fire chief, .

Springob, , including 17 as chief, spoke on behalf of Wentlandt in front of the commission in June. At that same meeting, Ben Granberg, the city's human resource director, , "the nice thing about about the police command staff and the fire command staff is that you have a built-in succession planned."

Wentlandt, , was a finalist for the police chief opening in Fond du Lac, but withdrew from consideration upon being named interim chief in Greenfield.

Wentlandt declined to comment on the special meeting and efforts to contact Cohn and members of the commission were not immediately successful.

In June, the Common Council cleared one hurdle in Cohn's way when it approved a resolution to amend city residency regulations for its chiefs.

Previously, , but the chiefs must now only live within a 15-mile radius of the city’s center, the same regulations in place for all employees in both departments.

Cohn lives in Hales Corners.