After eight years as Sault Ste. Marie's fire chief and 30 years as a professional firefighter, Peter Johnson will hang up his helmet early next year.
City council will be advised on Tuesday that Johnson's last day on the job will be Jan. 30, 2026.
"Fire Chief Johnson will be greatly missed by the organization, and staff are grateful for his valuable contributions to the city during his tenure," says Tom Vair, the city's chief administrative officer, in a report to Mayor Matthew Shoemaker and city councillors.
"He began as a firefighter and progressed through the ranks to acting officer, deputy chief, and ultimately fire chief," Vair said.
The CAO will ask councillors at Tuesday's council meeting (it won't be held on Monday because of the Thanksgiving holiday) for permission to begin a search for someone to fill Johnson's bunker boots.
City staff are suggesting an open recruitment process, with internal and external postings.
The candidate search will be done by staff, with no external recruitment consultants.
"Advertising and promotion of the vacancy will be undertaken in appropriate media publications. The position will be posted with a change to the reporting structure, having the fire chief report directly to the deputy CAO, community development and enterprise services [Brent Lamming], and serving as a member of the senior management team," Vair said.
"The salary band will remain the same and there will continue to be direct communications with the CAO in the event of emergency situations."
Johnson's last reported salary on the Ontario Sunshine List was $189,475 in 2023, with $3,299 in taxable benefits.