New Fishers Fire Chief Ky Ragsdale is proposing changes to how the department compiles its promotion list. With 40% of the current promotion list already having resulted in promotions, a new list is now required.

Chief Ragsdale is recommending a revised weighting system for the promotion process. Previously, the Fire Chief held 10% of the influence in determining promotions. Under the proposed changes, that 10% would be shared among the Chief and two additional members of the department, creating a more collaborative evaluation approach.

The assessment center would continue to carry the most weight at 40%. The new proposal also calls for increasing the weight assigned to both the oral interview and the written exam in the overall scoring process.

The Fishers Fire Department Merit Commission reviewed the proposed changes at its Tuesday meeting and responded positively. However, Commission member Mike Peterson noted several technical errors in the revised merit rules. As a result, the Commission voted to table final approval until those issues can be addressed. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for June 26 to take final action on the proposed changes.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, the Commission elected officers for 2025. Bryan Babb will serve as president, Howard Stevenson as vice president, and Ron Wilson as secretary.