POSAVEC NAMED TO FIRE BOARD

 Robert Posavec

By William Burr, Suncoast News Staff

EAST LAKE-East Lake Fire Commission members have narrowed their search for a new fire chief to four candidates. 

Robert Posavec, who Wednesday night was appointed to Seat 3 on the five-member governing body of the East Lake Tarpon Special Fire Control District, will help make the choice. 

Posavec, 42, replaces former Commissioner James Nobles, who resigned March1, after 13 years on the commission.  Nobles is moving to North Carolina. 

Posavec was among the 12 would-be Fire Commission appointees who came forward following the Jan. 14 death of Commissioner James Galloway.  Six weeks later, Galloway’s widow Florence got the nod. 

Posavec was one of nine who applied for the vacancy.

A resident of the Lansbrook subdivision, Posavec has been chief operating officer of Odessa-based Pro Tech Monitoring a provider of satellite surveillance and criminal-offender tracking products. 

Posavec has served as the treasurer of the East Lake Youth Sports Association, is a past-president of the East Lake Youth Football and Cheerleading program, and as the chairperson of the Brooker Creek Elementary School Advisory Council.  He and wife Marlana have two children, Drew 13, and Alyssa 10.

It is unclear if Posavec and Florence Galloway will serve until the terms of their predecessors expire or if their seats will be up for grabs in the 2006 general election. 

Attorney, Andrew Salzman, who handles legal matters for the fire district, said he has requested an opinion from the Florida Attorney General’s office regarding the terms of those appointed to the commission.  Two Florida statutes appear to give conflicting answers on the tenure issue, he said.

“The attorney general usually gives us an opinion in 60 days”, Salzman said.

The commissioners are expected to complete the interviewing process for a new chief by Monday.  The finalists include Acting Chief Jeffrey Malzone who has been a member of the department since 1984, James G. Fogarty of Palm Harbor, William Gulbrandsen of Wildwood and Thomas Kochheiser of Fernandina Beach.

A new chief could be named at the next regular meeting on April 27. 

In other business, Malzone said the department has sold its rescue boat, which needed $2,300 in repairs, at a profit of $985.  The commissioners combined that money with a $500 grant from Allstate Insurance and authorized Training Chief Tom May to purchase a data projector. 

The commissioners also approved hiring a temporary firefighter while Ron O’Byrne, a driver-engineer and paramedic assigned to Station 57, is on extended leave.