NATCHEZ — Since April 26, the Natchez Fire Department has operated without a permanent chief. However, one should be selected soon.

Alderman James “Ricky” Gray said that the board of aldermen should not make a decision until the Natchez Mayor Jake Middleton is back on his feet. Middleton was hospitalized after falling through a window over the weekend.

“We’ve interviewed the applicants already, but we haven’t had a chance to sit down as a mayor and a board to discuss what we came out of the interviews with,” Gray said. “That was our next move — to sit down and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of all the candidates.

“Each individual might have somebody in mind, but as a mayor and a board we haven’t had an opportunity to discuss it yet,” he said.

Gray expects the mayor and the board of alderman to have a decision by their October meeting.

Since former Natchez Fire Chief Paul Johnson retired, Oliver Stewart has filled his shoes as interim fire chief. It is a situation that has been very good, Battalion Chief Robert Eidt said.

“Oliver’s a good man,” Battalion Chief Robert Eidt said. “The aura around the four station houses (has been great).”

Stewart agreed that things have gone smoothly during his time in charge.

“Right now everything’s good,” he said. “So far I haven’t had any major problems.”