DAPHNE — The city is getting closer to appointing a new chief of the Daphne Fire Department.

The City Council on Monday conducted the final interviews of the four top candidates for the job.

The four men to make it through the process include James Light, former chief of the Prichard Fire Department; Paul Smith, district chief with the Mobile Fire Department; Glenn Davis, a former chief from Pennsylvania; and Kenny Hanak, the interim chief of the Daphne department.

Smith, a 25-year veteran of emergency services with 20 of those years as a firefighter, has experience in fire suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials and serving as the local commander of the National Disaster Medical System, a federal disaster medical team based under the Department of Human Services.

His team was deployed for 9/11 as well as numerous hurricanes and Florida wild fires. Smith presented city leaders with a bound set of goals; Councilman John Lake commended the candidate for his work.

Davis, of Butte, Montana, is currently an instructor in fire and rescue at the University in Montana.

The former Air Force veteran is also a retired fire chief from the Coatesville, Penn., department.

Light, a long-time resident of Daphne, said he hopes to see the department move forward.

He envisions using his contacts in the city to help recruit new members to the department, he said.

Hanak, who has served as interim chief the past five months, said he hopes to secure the job on a permanent basis. Hanak took over when former fire Chief Mund Hanson resigned after he was arrested for DUI in February.

Hanak said he believed recruitment would be a high priority. He suggested launching an explorer program at area high schools.

During Hanak’s interview Councilman Ron Scott produced a petition signed by members of the Daphne Fire Department in support of Hanak’s appointment to the position.

City leaders now must decide which candidate will be offered the position. That decision will likely come Monday after the council holds a special work session at 5:30 p.m. The council’s regular meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m.

“I believe we owe it to the candidates as well as the city of Daphne to be prepared to take a vote at our next council meeting and make an offer to one of the candidates,” Scott said.

Sharon Cureton, Human Resources director, explained that council can make an offer to their choice but it would be unofficial until that person completes the final portions of the process.

“We will need to do a records check; The next hurdle is a background check and finally a drug screening,” Cureton said.

City leaders complimented Cureton for her work finding the best candidates for the position.

Councilman Gus Palumbo said he was pleased with the process and the quality of candidates.

“If any of these four candidates was named chief tonight, I would sleep better,” Palumbo said.