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Ground Level Blog
Jennifer Vogel

New Fire Chief in Baldwin

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(MPR photo/Chris Welsch)

Members of the volunteer Baldwin Township fire department got together on Sunday night and elected a new roster of leadership. Seventeen members showed up for the meeting and chose former assistant chief Mike Rademacher to be the new chief, replacing Brian Torborg.

The new assistant chief is Larry Boeke, formerly a department captain. Four new captains were chosen as well in a vote that ran 14 in favor, zero against, and three abstaining.

According to Jim Oliver, who serves on the fire department as well as the township board, "I think we needed a change and it was expected. Hopefully we can go in a nice positive direction now. The new chief will bring communication and transparency, something that was needed."

Rademacher was nominated to stay on as chief but declined, according to Oliver. Several others were nominated for various positions within the embattled department but declined as well.

Department leaders have been chosen by appointment some years and election others. "The board voted to put back elections this year," says Oliver. "We wanted people to have more input. It's a good barometer of the department, to find out what the rank-and-file think of the chief."