By Sheila McLaughlin
Enquirer staff writer

BLUE ASH - Two assistant fire chiefs are vying for the department's top spot after the retirement of 35-year veteran James Fehr.

Charles Martin and Rick Brown, each with at least 15 years with the department, will be assessed in a process to be overseen by a committee of city officials and fire chiefs from Wyoming, Evendale and Montgomery.

A selection is expected by Labor Day. Meanwhile, Martin is serving as acting chief because he has served more years on the department, said Margaret Main, the city's human resources officer.

The chief's pay range is $74,400 to $90,370.

Fehr, who led the department for seven years, left July 30, five days after the city opened its a new $6.5 million fire station on Kenwood Road for a public tour.

Fehr said he is being paid through the end of the month to account for vacation time. He was planning to retire next year, but discovered he had enough time served to begin drawing his full pension now, he said.

"It's time," said Fehr, who has served the city department for 25 years as a full-time firefighter and 10 years as a volunteer.

"I'm just going to take some time off for a while to finish things around the house and stuff like that. We have a boat at Lake Cumberland, and we'll spend some time down there."

E-mail smclaughlin@enquirer.com