Following the retirement last week of Police Chief and Director of Public Safety Timothy Jackson, the city council has a resolution coming before them at tonight’s city council work session to officially reinstate the Police Chief title.

Previously, both the Police Chief and Fire Chief titles fell under the same realm of Director of Public Safety. The Fire Chief title was reinstated following Matthew Coon’s retirement in May 2025, and now the city is looking to do the same with the Police Chief, and fully abolish the Director of Public Safety title.

According to the agenda for tonight, the change originally came in 2002, when then Mayor Samuel Teresi created the Director of Public Safety, creating one administrative position to oversee both Police and Fire Departments. The city never abolished the title of Police Chief, it simply hasn’t been used since 2001. With Jackson’s retirement, the agenda says it is time to reinstate the former structure and separate the departments.

The agenda also notes that the Police Chief salary will no longer encompass the stipend for the Director of Public Safety with this change, so there will be a financial savings for the city as well. The change will officially be made if the city council chooses to adopt a local law, which will be the first for 2026.

Also on the agenda for tonight are some updates to zoning and code from the Department of Development. The changes are noted to be to enhance structure and clarity for residents and commercial building owners.

Updates have been prepared for the following codes; 300-0317 Accessory Structures, 300-0507 Driveways, 300-0206 Fences, 215-33 Heating, 215-64 Notice to Vacate (Condemnations), 215-44 Garbage and Refuse, and 292-1 Vehicles, Unlicensed.

The council’s work session begins at 7:30 p.m. in the police training room on the fourth floor of city hall. Council committees meet before the work session. The Housing Committee meets at 6:30 p.m. in the police training room with the Finance Committee at 7 p.m. in the mayor’s fourth floor conference room, the Public Safety Committee in the police training room at 7 p.m. and the Public Works Committee in the Development Department conference room at 7 p.m.