The Hartselle City Council approved Nov. 12 Lt. Daryl Fox as the new chief of the Hartselle Fire Department.

Fox and Lt. Philip Kelso were the only two candidates for the position. Mayor Don Hall recommended Fox based on the Hartselle Personnel Board’s recommendation.

Council President Bill Smelser said he was pleased that both candidates that applied.

“I appreciate both of you for applying for the job,” Smelser said. “The Personnel Board had a very difficult decision. There wasn’t much of a difference in scoring between the two of you.”

Councilman Kenny Thompson said he was pleased the hire.

“I am tickled to death that we were able to stay within the department,” Thompson said.

With the promotion of Fox to chief, it leaves the department with 18 firefighters. That includes a firefighter position that was cut in the 2014-2015 budget year after the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant ran out last year.

Human resources director Melee Laney said there will be promotions within the department to fill the captain’s position, but she said it will be up to the council if the vacant firefighter position will be filled.