Assistant Fire Chief selection and fire department succession
Stow
Summary
Michael Lang Jr. was confirmed as fire chief and Mark Kozak as assistant chief, succeeding retiring Chief Stone. The mayor swears them in Sept. 17 at 3:30 p.m. at Station One.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 6
- Last 30 days
- 0
Discussed at 2 meetings in the last 60 days; most recently Sep 24, 2026.
Impact analysis
Compensation for both positions was amended by the ordinances; specific figures were not stated at the meeting.
Stow's fire service and residents it protects.
Potentially outside qualified candidates, though the department has never hired ranking officers externally.
Mentions & discussions (6)
Roads and Safety Committee - Sep 24, 2026
Chief Lang described a hectic week of transition and welcomed the new fire administration under Chief Kozak, expressing excitement about serving the community.
City Council - Sep 10, 2026
Michael Lang Jr. was confirmed as fire chief and Mark Kozak as assistant chief, succeeding retiring Chief Stone. The mayor swears them in Sept. 17 at 3:30 p.m. at Station One.
Civil Service Commission (Regular) - Aug 4, 2026
Stow's next Assistant Fire Chief is one step closer to being named. Two current captains went through the testing and interview process, and Captain Kozak landed at the top of the certified eligibility list — meaning he's first in line when the promotion is made.
Civil Service Commission (Special) - Jun 30, 2026
The fire department is filling its second-highest rank before Chief Mark Stone retires, so leadership won't skip a beat when the new fire chief takes over. The commission approved using competitive interviews as the exam rather than an assessment center, keeping the process internal.
Civil Service Commission (Special) - Jun 16, 2026
The Commission authorized the Mayor to hold a second interview with an added exercise as part of choosing Stow's next Fire Chief.
Civil Service Commission (Regular) - Feb 4, 2026
Fire Chief Mark Stone is retiring and a captain leaves in January, so a promotional exam is planned for this summer with about six of ten eligible members expected to test.
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