Having spent the past five months as interim fire chief, Ron MacKnight has landed the job permanently. Last Thursday, the Wright City Fire Board promoted MacKnight to the position, while his former duties as assistant fire chief will be handled by fire marshal Todd Van Zuyen. The personnel moves also will allow the district to use the funds that would have been spent on a fire chief to hire a sixth full-time firefighter. By doing so, according to Fire Board President Randy Lewis, the district will now be able to have 24-hour coverage by paid personnel based at the fire station at all times. Currently, the fire district employs seven full-time firefighters, including MacKnight and Van Zuyen. "That is a big deal to have 24/7 service," Lewis said. The district had been without a permanent fire chief since Brian Nickerson was fired Aug. 24 after board members said a "change in management" was needed. Nickerson who had been with the Wright City district for nearly five years, said he was "shocked" to learn about a 3-2 vote to oust him. Since Nickerson's dismissal Aug. 24, the fire district received 21 applications to fill the position and the list of candidates had been narrowed to 10 finalists, according to Lewis. However, no interviews had been scheduled as the fire board began discussions with MacKnight, who hadn't sought the position. MacKnight said he embraces the challenge of leading the fire district. He has spent the past few months working on the district's annual budget and performing other administrative duties which he said has helped familiarize himself with the position. He will also continue to teach at the fire academy, a yearlong training course that certifies volunteers and paid firefighters. He said he will lean on other firefighters and the fire board for assistance as he gains additional experience. "We're building a foundation," MacKnight remarked. "We have support of the organization. We've weathered the storm together so to speak and now it's a positive." Lewis said that MacKnight's familiarity with the fire district and his time spent in the position temporarily proved that he was ready for the additional tasks. "No matter who we got, we were going to have a learning process," Lewis explained. "It's a win-win for the fire district. It will benefit the taxpayers in the long the run." MacKnight was hired as assistant chief November 2007. Prior to coming to Wright City, MacKnight spent eight years as a firefighter with the Jefferson City Fire Department and as an assistant chief at Holt Summit for five years during that same period. The O'Fallon, Ill., native also has been employed in the St. Charles Fire Department. Meanwhile, Van Zuyen has been a paid firefighter since Jan. 2, 2008, and been an active member of the fire district for 17 years, including previously serving on the fire board for two years. He began as a fire inspector and has moved up the ranks since. Along with his new duties, he will continue as the district's fire marshal. Lewis also said Van Zuyen will be helped out by two other paid firefighters who are certified to conduct inspections. "I went to help a neighbor out and here I am," Van Zuyen said. "I have that mindset that I'm a volunteer still at heart." The promotions of MacKnight and Van Zuyen end several months of unrest within the fire district. During this time the fire board was divided on the removal of Nickerson and later discovered that last April's election for one board member's seat had been held a year earlier than it should have been. Board member Keith Thompson, who had won the election, resigned and Bob Mallery, who lost, was reappointed to serve the remaining five months. This April's election now features five candidates for two spots, including Thompson, Mallery and two others who have served on the fire board. Nonetheless, MacKnight and Van Zuyen both stated their top goals are to improve retention and recruitment among the paid and volunteer ranks. "We're getting more people here, more people are interested," Van Zuyen said. "Everybody is behind us 100 percent." The board increased MacKnight's salary slightly to $55,000 and kept Van Zuyen at his current salary of $43,500.