JOLIET, ILLINOIS, IS LOOKING FOR A NEW FIRE CHIEF for the fourth time in four years.  The current chief Rich Marose will be announcing his retirement today after holding the chief’s job for just 10 months.  This follows the disclosure of a police report of a “suspicious incident” this past weekend involving Chief Morose and a woman in a parking lot at 1:45 am.

Chief Marose

Morose says that the recent escapade has nothing to do with his sudden plans to leave.  He says that it was his intention all along to retire once he reached the age of 50.  That was news to the Joliet City Council who were expecting him to serve at least 5 years on the job when they appointed him last year.

Joliet has a history of fire chief instability.  In 1998 FC Larry Walsh was forced out after an investigation surfaced involving his son’s business dealing with the city.  Walsh’s successor was Joseph Drick who lasted 6 years before he was indicted on a financial scam that ended up with both him and his wife being sent to prison in 2004.

The next three years saw two more fire chiefs come and go.  While neither was caught up in anything criminal, they both bailed out of the job in short order.  It was then that Morose took the office.  Now they’re looking again.

City Councilman Michael Turk said it’s time to bring stability to the leadership of the fire department.  “With the next chief,” Turk said, “I think we have to say, ‘Hey, we want you to stick around.’”

The Herald News has the latest STORY.
Joliet Fire Department WEBSITE.

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