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Fire chief expected to be named this week

By Matt Breslow
Staff Writer

March 27, 2005

NORWALK -- Fire commissioners could name a replacement this week for Chief Sanford Anderson, who will retire next week after serving the department for 45 years.

The Board of Fire Commissioners and a few other city officials Monday interviewed two finalists, who are chiefs in other departments, Mayor Alex Knopp said.

"I felt they both gave excellent interviews," said Knopp, who is a fire commissioner.

The city is following up on references for the finalists, the mayor said. He said the commission will likely make its selection at a special meeting this week. Commission Chairman Michael Corsello said the board will hold a meeting Thursday to deliberate on the candidates.

"Fortunately for the city of Norwalk, we have a very difficult decision to make," Corsello said. "The final candidates have the personality, professional experience and other attributes that will make a fine fire chief."

Anderson's one-year contract is expires April 7. A former assistant chief, he replaced James Verda, who became chief in 1997 and retired last year.

In a letter to fire commissioners distributed at their monthly meeting March 16, Anderson thanked the board members for the "honor and privilege" of being chief.

"Having served the city of Norwalk for some 48 years and the last 45 as a firefighter, I feel my career is finishing up with the fact that I have reached the pinnacle of my career," Anderson wrote.

His successor will likely start in late April or early May, Knopp said. The mayor said Assistant Chief Laurence Reilly will head the department in the interim.

The city received "well over 40" applications from across the country for the chief position, Knopp said. The top 10 or so candidates were screened by an interview panel that included retired Norwalk police Sgt. Patrick Morris, who heads Norwalk Community College's Public Safety Academy; Michael Dolhancryk, the city's disaster response coordinator and emergency dispatch director; and Richard Koch, who headed an advisory committee for streamlining the city's emergency-dispatch operations.