PEORIA HEIGHTS, Ill. (WMBD) — If all goes according to plan, Peoria Heights will have a new fire chief next week.
Mayor Mike Phelan said Wednesday that he has recommended to the Village Board of Trustees that Dan Decker, a former East Peoria fire chief and currently a city councilman there, should get the top job.
Decker, who retired from the East Peoria department last spring, will likely be approved at the board’s meeting next week for the position that pays $120,000, the mayor said.
Phelan said Decker will be “asked to quickly do a ‘needs assessment’ and make recommendations” to trustees on hiring full-time firefighters. The number of people hired would be up to Decker, the mayor said.
The village has been without a fire chief and used an interim for the past few months.
Decker, he said, currently works as the fire chief of the department based at the Clinton power plant. Phelan said Decker would leave that position to come work at the village.
Phelan also said he didn’t believe any conflicts would arise from Decker being a Heights employee and also sitting on the East Peoria City Council.
This story will be updated.
