Keokuk, IA – The city council has confirmed Mayor Tom Marion's appointment of Gabe Rose to the post.
His first day on the job will be May 23.
Rose has been with the Keokuk Fire Department for nearly 16 years. His current rank is Firefighter First Class.
Rose says he is excited to step into the top spot.
He wants to keep the department going in the right direction.
Rose was one of five candidates to apply to be Keokuk's next fire chief.
Current Fire Chief Mark Wessel is retiring after more than 30 years with the department. He has pledged to work with Rose to ensure a seamless transition.
Rose says the promotion requires that he divest his ownership interest in PC Technologies. The company was hired to design Keokuk's website.
Rose's starting salary was a point of contention for members of the city council.
His base pay will increase by more than $15,000 to $60,500.
Several council members questioned that level of a starting salary when Wessel was making roughly $65,000 after more than a decade as Fire Chief.
Nothing about the salary was brought up, though, once the nomination was proposed during the official city council meeting.