The Lynchburg Area Joint Fire and Ambulance District board will meet again at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 10, this time in regular session, as it continues its pursuit of a new fire chief.

Tuesday’s meeting will begin two hours earlier than the normal 7 p.m. start time for regular meetings. The earlier start time is to discuss personnel, according to a notice from district fiscal officer Kim Walker. The meeting will be held at the Lynchburg fire station.

The board met last Tuesday in a special meeting to consider nine applicants for the position, according to Richard Warner, the Lynchburg police chief who is helping with the search process.

On Friday, Warner said the board reviewed applications and will interview three candidates on Tuesday. He said the three being interviewed were deemed those who best met the qualifications that were outlined. The interviews will be conducted in executive session, said Warner.

Warner said that if no one is offered the position after Tuesday’s meeting, more interviews with additional candidates will be scheduled.

Warner said the hope is to make a decision on a new chief before the month is over.

“The sooner the better,” said Warner. “I don’t foresee going into June.”

The vacancy in the chief’s position came about when former chief David Manning was hired as assistant chief with the Paint Creek Joint EMS/Fire District, a job he began on April 5.

The Lynchburg department covers the village of Lynchburg and all of Dodson, Salem and Hamer townships, plus half of Union township.

The Lynchburg fire district board holds regular meetings the second Tuesday of each month. Usually, a finance meeting begins at 6:45 p.m. and the regular meeting begins at 7 p.m.

Meetings are held at the Lynchburg fire station every month except for March, June, September and December when the meetings are held at the Pricetown station.

Reach Gary Abernathy at 937-393-3456 or on Twitter @abernathygary.