The city of West Lafayette will soon have a new fire chief.
Phil Drew will step down at the end of the year at the request of the mayor. Mayor John Dennis says the department needs new leadership to keep up with changes in the field.
The mayor plans to hire a new chief from within the current ranks. Until then, Assistant Chief Jeff Holder will serve as interim chief.
The mayor is also creating two new positions, pending the approval of the City Council. The Public Works director will coordinate all major infrastructure projects, while the Information Technology Director will replace contract services currently used for I.T. work.
And a position that’s been vacant for nearly four years will be filled. Dennis appointed Captain Chris Leroux as deputy chief of police.