Update: The Q&A can be viewed live by the public on the Longmont Public Media website, Comcast channel 16.
Longmont City Council, city staff and select community groups will get a chance to meet all five finalists for chief of Longmont’s Department of Public Safety Thursday night in city council chambers.
The night will include a “meet-and-greet” for invited community groups, staff and council at 6 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer forum at 7 p.m., said Assistant City Manager Sandi Seader.
“Since we are still cautious about gathering indoors, this forum is not open to the public,” Seader said in an email. “But we will record it for the public to view and offer input after.”
Members of the public can view the event live on Channel 16 on Comcast, online at the Longmont Public Media website or via the Longmont Public Media Roku app. A recording of the event will be broadcast Friday on Channel 8 at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and will also be available on the city of Longmont YouTube channel.
The final pick will replace former Public Safety Chief Mike Butler, who retired as public safety chief in July. Rob Spendlow, the deputy public safety chief for support services, has served as interim chief since Butler’s retirement.
The public safety chief leads the city’s police and fire division and the support and information services divisions.
The finalists, along with statements from their resume, are:
- Zach Ardis, currently executive director of Policy, Planning and Public Safety in Commerce, Georgia. His resume states that he’s an “accomplished executive director with over 23 years of leveraging strong leadership and development to drive forward progress. He also says he is highly organized and has success implementing systems across multiple operations with superior organizational and communication skills.
- Kenneth Chavez, a retired Denver Police Department lieutenant. He said he has supervised police services in the most densely populated area of Denver and is familiar with crime stats, police services staffing, traffic concerns and issues related to fast growing and densely populated neighborhoods. He also said he is familiar with “people experiencing homelessness and strategies to serve them as well as residents and businesses in close proximity.”
- Manny Almaguer, assistant Denver fire chief in charge of the department’s operations division. He said he has more than 20 years of public safety experience in the planning, organizing and administration of fire department operations. He also possesses “expansive knowledge in fire administration, public relations, equipment management, budget management, and the enforcement of regulations, policies and procedures related to fire suppression, investigation, prevention, rescue and emergency services.”
- Dante Orlandi, a former major with the Pennsylvania State Police. He said he has successfully handled various assignments with increased responsibilities over a 34-year career in the ninth largest police department in the country.
- Michael Marino, currently assistant chief in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Fire/EMS Department. He describes himself as an “innovative, data-driven, all-hazards leader with two decades of emergency response and homeland security leadership across law enforcement, fire, EMS, including demonstrable cross-discipline initiatives unlocking public values.”
