COLUMBUS - The Columbus Police and Fire Commission will choose a new fire chief from among four finalists in open session next Tuesday, June 9.

The finalists are:

David Peterson of Janesville - a lieutenant in the Madison Fire Department

Randall Koehn of Beaver Dam - a former deputy chief in the Beaver Dam Fire Department who also served as acting fire chief there

Scott Hazeltine of Columbus - a lieutenant in the Columbus Fire Department who served as fire chief in Browntown

Kevin Wernet of McFarland - a firefighter with the McFarland and Fitchburg Fire Departments and a fire service training instructor at Madison Area Technical College

Those four finalists were interviewed on May 27 by Greg Cleveland (full-time fire chief for the city of LaCrosse) and Dave Bloom (full-time fire chief for the town of Madison). Bloom is also the part-time Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs Association legislative liaison.

The interviews were held at the Farmers & Merchants Union Bank in downtown Columbus, and each lasted for about an hour, according to Rod Musel, who was elected vice president of the PFC at its May 18 meeting.

The vote will take place at approximately 4:45 p.m. on June 9, after the PFC members return from training in Brookfield.

The job offer will be contingent his ability to pass physical, psychological and drug testing and a background check.

Nine candidates originally applied for the chief's job.

Ed Schellin was elected on May 18 to continue as president of the PFC.