Paul Bass Photo
The Board of Fire Commissioners Tuesday unanimously elected William Celentano as its new chairman.
Celentano (pictured) had been serving as chair in an interim role, following the exit of previous chair, the Rev. Eldren Morrison, and members said they thought he was doing the job well.
The election took place at the monthly meeting of the board, which began with a moment of silence for former board Chair George Longyear, an East Shore Republican like Celentano. Longyear died Nov. 1 at the age of 86 during an accident at his home.
“He was cleaning leaves on a ladder — not a smart thing to do at his age,” joked Celentano.
“Although if you’re going to go,” that wasn’t the worst way, quipped Commissioner Vincent Mauro Jr.
Then Celentano, in a more serious vein, said Longyear had been “the heart and soul of this board of many years.” (Click here for a story about Longyear’s work in New Haven.)
At the meeting, which took place on the top floor of fire headquarters on Grand Avenue, city Assistant Corporation Counsel Audrey Kramer also swore in the board’s newest commissioner, the Rev. Steven Cousin Jr. of Bethel AME Zion Church. Click on the above audio to watch the swearing in. Cousin was appointed to replace Morrison, who left New Haven for a new pulpit in Georgia three months ago.
The board voted Cousin in as the new vice-chair as well.
At the meeting, the new fire chief, John Alston Jr. (pictured), reported that renovations of the kitchen at the Woodward Avenue firehouse are almost complete, part of a citywide upgrading of firehouses. The completion was delayed a bit because of the delivery of the wrong stove. Alston said he expects the right stove to arrive this week.