MARYSVILLE – Interim Fire Chief Martin McFalls has been offered the job on a permanent basis.

McFalls has been in the interim post since chief Greg Corn retired in April.

Final approval will take place at the next Marysville Fire District Board of Directors meeting as the contract is still being negotiated.

District Chairman and Marysville City Council Member Michael Stevens said, “The process was very thorough, and all eight candidates were very qualified. It was a very tough decision for the board, and we are excited for this new chapter for the Marysville Fire District.”

Marysville Fire District provides service to the approximately 78,000 residents of Marysville, Seven Lakes, Quil Ceda Village and Smokey Point, and surrounding parts of unincorporated Snohomish County.

McFalls has served the district for 27 years. He has been assistant fire chief for over six years.

Three others in the department also were finalists.

• Darryl Neuhoff has over 32 years of experience, 27 as a chief officer, and has been a division chief at Marysville since 1998.

• Jeffrey Cole, who has been with the Marysville district since 1997, as a firefighter, captain and now battalion chief since 2008.

• K. Scott Goodale has been with Marysville district for over 21 years. Prior to becoming a battalion chief in 2006, he was a captain and a firefighter.

The other candidates were: Scott Lewis, division chief at Oregon’s Gresham Fire & Emergency Services; F. David Burke, fire chief for King County Fire District 45; Lawrence Rude, fire commissioner for King County Fire District 10; and Brent Christopherson of the Missoula Rural Fire District in Montana since 2007.