EZT council briefs: Fire chief announces retirement

Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

East Zorra-Tavistock’s (EZT) Fire Chief has announced 2026 will be his last year at the helm.

Scott Alexander provided his resignation letter to Mayor Phil Schaefer, who read it out loud at last week’s regular council meeting.

“It is with mixed emotions that I wish to advise council and the staff of East Zorra-Tavistock that 2026 will be my final year as fire chief for the township. I am grateful for the opportunities I have been fortunate to be a part of, but after careful reflection over the last few months, I feel that after almost 20 years, it is time for a fresh perspective for the administration of the department and someone to look 10 years into the future rather than 20 years to the past.”

The statement went on to say that announcing the retirement before the end of 2026 provides ample time to recruit for the position and allows for a smooth transition over time to new management.

“I wish to thank council for this wonderful opportunity and all the firefighters, past and present, that I have had the privilege to serve with. Most of all, I wish and need to thank my family, my wife, Heather, our sons, Nick, Mack, Dean and Jay, for all the sacrifices they have made during my tenure here at the township.”

Schaefer thanked Alexander for his service and wished him the best going forward. Coun. Scott Zehr, a longtime volunteer firefighter in the township, expressed his words of gratitude for the outgoing chief.

“As one of his firefighters for almost 15 years now, I appreciate his care and compassion for us as firefighters. All the long hours and the work he puts in; I am glad he mentioned his family because I’m sure they were woken up by that radio going off way too often. Thanks, Chief Alexander, for all you have done for our community.”

EZT looking for IT help

The township is accepting applications for an information technology (IT) coordinator. The newly created position will support all departments and will manage the daily operation of IT support for all township offices, council, staff and facilities, as well as install, maintain and support servers, workstations, telephony and copiers.

The full-time position requires a 35-hour work week and includes a comprehensive benefits package and OMERS pension plan. The 2026 salary range is $44.67-$52.56 per hour, or a range of just over $81,000 per year up to just under $96,000.

“The IT position is not an additional FTE position in the 2026 budget but rather a part of the overall restructuring of responsibilities amongst the existing complement of staff from the 2025 realignment of departments and duties,” said EZT CAO Karen DePrest. 

“The county does a fantastic job of providing overall network support to most of its lower-tier partners, including EZT. However, EZT does have several software systems that are not county supported, including our financial system, iCity, our recreation software, Univerus Rec and MESH, our public works software to name a few.”

She added having an onsite IT coordinator will allow the support and maintenance of those systems to be centralized in an expert’s area while allowing the staff currently supporting software to focus on their departmental responsibilities.