With chief’s retirement, there’s another shuffle at top of Belleville Fire Department
After just a year on the job as Belleville’s fire chief, J.P. Penet retired on Monday and his assistant was named the interim fire chief.
Penet, who celebrated his wedding on June 18, said he wants to spend more time with his wife, Kimberly Yates, and their new family.
“I am retiring from the best job in the world, that’s for sure,” Penet said.
Penet’s retirement took effect Monday, which was 28 years to the day since he was hired by the Belleville Fire Department on July 18, 1994.
“I just got married, I’m blending two families and when those big life changes happen, it causes you to re-evaluate what’s important in your life and as much as I love this job and as much as I appreciate what it’s done for me over the course of 28 years, I excited that I’ve got a new chapter in my life started,” Penet said.
“Where else can I retire at the age of 52 and still have 15 or 20 years of time to give to another great cause?”
Penet earned $119,504 as fire chief and he expects his pension from the city’s firefighter’s pension fund will be about 72% of that salary. This would put his pension at about $86,000.
“For 28 years of dedicated service, there’s a pension that goes with it and we certainly appreciate that,” Penet said.
Penet said he doesn’t have a new job lined up but he will consider taking one in the fall after school starts for his children.
Before Penet was named chief last summer to replace Tom Pour, he had served as assistant chief for nine years.
Interim fire chief
The City Council voted Monday night to appoint Rick Wangelin as the interim fire chief.
“I’m excited to take the baton and lead the department,” Wangelin said.
Mayor Patty Gregory said the city plans to seek applicants for the fire chief’s position but she praised Wangelin.
“I have a lot of faith in Rick Wangelin,” Gregory said after the council meeting. “I think that he is very personable.”
Wangelin has served as assistant chief for one year and was a battalion chief for several years before that.
Wangelin, 50, said he intends to apply for the chief’s position.
He earned $109,140 as assistant chief and he said his salary will change to the chief’s level of $119,504 while he serves as interim fire chief. To see the salaries of other fire department employees and public employees across the metro-east, you can go to the Belleville News-Democrat’s public pay database at bnd.com.
This story was originally published July 19, 2022 at 8:00 AM.
