Mayor to nominate new Aurora fire chief

Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner will announce his recommendation for the city's next fire chief at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Aurora Central Fire Station, 75 N. Broadway.

The new chief will replace John Lehman, who made his retirement plans public last year and is scheduled to step down Feb. 19. City officials say six internal candidates were interviewed for the post.

Weisner's recommendation is subject to city council approval, which is expected to come Jan. 26. Once the candidate is approved, a swearing-in ceremony will be scheduled, probably in February.

This is the second major public safety appointment Weisner will have made this month. On Jan. 7 he nominated a veteran police commander, Kristen Ziman, as the first female police chief in the city's history. The council approved that appointment on Jan. 12.