Title
Approving the appointment of Jeramiah Melquist as the Chief of the Fire Department.
Body
WHEREAS, there is a vacancy for Chief of the Saint Paul Fire Department and the City requires the vacancy to be filled; and
WHEREAS, a qualifications and examining committee was created by the City Council to review applications for the position of Saint Paul Fire Chief; and
WHEREAS, the committee convened on October 20, 2026 and recommended five applicants to the Mayor’s Office for interview by the Mayor; and
WHEREAS, Jeramiah Melquist has applied for the position of Chief of the Saint Paul Fire Department and has more than 26 years of experience with the Saint Paul Fire Department in the areas of fire suppression, emergency medical service, emergency response, and management; and
WHEREAS, Melquist has served in many capacities at the Saint Paul Fire Department, including as a Firefighter, Fire Equipment Operator, Fire Captain, District Chief, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief of Emergency Medical Services, and, since 2023, Assistant Chief of Operations; and
WHEREAS, as Assistant Chief of Operations, Melquist has overseen the daily operations of Minnesota’s largest fire department and supervised more than 500 personnel, serves as point of contact for the department’s specialized response teams, including hazardous materials, technical rescue, and urban search and rescue; and spent ten years as a union leader with IAFF Local 21 and three years as Central District Vice President of Minnesota Professional Firefighters; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Fire Department has a long tradition of providing outstanding service to our residents, and Melquist has the dedication and talent to lead this organization with a commitment to supporting its members, strengthening community relationships, and fostering a workplace culture grounded in collaboration, equity, and professional development; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Saint Paul City Charter, Section 12, Personnel, Sections 12.12.1 to 12.12.4, which address the qualifications, examining committee duties, procedures and appointment of a Fire Chief, the Mayor has appointed Jeramiah Melquist to the position of Chief of the Saint Paul Fire Department, and the consent of the City Council is required for the appointment; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council approves the Mayor’s six-year appointment of Jeramiah Melquist as the Chief of the Saint Paul Fire Department, with an effective date of November 14, 2026.