Longtime fire chief Jim Nickel is retiring

Council informed he will leave March 30 next year.

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By Kevin O'Boyle, Contributing Writer 5:55 PM Monday, August 15, 2011

By Kevin O’Boyle

Contributing Writer

BROOKVILLE — Trying hard to compose himself, Brookville Fire Chief Jim Nickel read his letter of retirement to members of Brookville’s City Council at its Aug. 2 meeting.

“This is a decision not made lightly,” Nickel, Brookville’s head firefighter for the past 25 years said. “I can’t say that I have enjoyed every minute on the job, but I have loved every minute.”

Stating that he had tremendous support from members of council, city staff, and members of his department, Nickel said that “Indeed it has been a privilege to serve the citizens of Brookville, and the Brookville community.”

While he read the letter at the Aug. 2 meeting, it was more to pave the way for council and city staff to look for a successor, as Nickel’s retirement will not be effective until March 30, 2012.

“I have every confidence that my successor will be the right choice for the community,” he said.

Brookville’s Vice-Mayor, Ron Ullery, who was presiding over the Aug. 2 meeting in the absence of Mayor Dave Seagraves, said that on behalf of council he “accepts the retirement reluctantly.”

Fellow Council Member Mike Duncan, a member of Brookville’s Council when Nickel was hired in as fire chief that he “doesn’t regret any minute of hiring you (Nickel) for the job.”

In other business before Council, discussion of a proposed new ordinance regarding retention pond maintenance was tabled until the next council meeting on Aug. 16 per a motion by Council Member Bob Apgar.

Apgar and other members of council expressed a desire to review minutes of a recent Brookville Planning Commission meeting where the issue was discussed at length. Also, Brookville Law Director Rod Stephan said that while the new ordinance has been drafted, review of it by city staff, council, and planning commission needed to take place.

Stephan did state that in relation to a retention pond at the intersection of West Upper Lewisburg-Salem and Arlington roads, per the original declaration filed by the property developer with the city, a property ownership association was to be formed to take care of the pond’s maintenance. Stephan said that no association had been formed, but per the original declaration the ownership association was to be formed when the final property nearby the pond was sold. As of the Aug. 2 meeting, lots in the development in question still were unsold.

Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Sonja Keaton, filling in for the absent City Manager John Wright, said that a proposal for a walkway connecting the Golden Gate sub-division with Golden Gate Park will be presented to Council.

The next meeting of Brookville City Council will then be at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Brookville Municipal Building, 301 Sycamore St.

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