LA GRANDE — Not many people celebrate their retirement more than once, let alone three times, but La Grande Fire Chief Emmitt Cornford will be doing just that.

Cornford notified City Manager Robert Strope that he intends to retire in the spring, according to the council action form. He has served three stints as fire chief — once before retiring and twice after.

“Given the challenges of recruiting for this position in the past, the city solicited proposals from professional search firms,” Strope told the council in the form.

Cornford first retired in April 2016 after a 35 year career with the fire department. After graduating from Imbler High School, he joined the La Grande Fire Department as a volunteer in 1980. A half a year later the opportunity arose for a staffed firefighter position and Cornford was hired July 7, 1981.

He was promoted to engineer in 1986, and moved up the ladder to become captain on July 13, 1982. He served in that position for more than 33 years until Strope appointed him interim chief Oct. 1, 2015, until a new chief came on board March 28, 2016.

Cornford has come out of retirement twice since 2016 to head up the La Grande Fire Department. The first was about a year after his retirement and again in 2019. He has served in the position since then.

La Grande selected Prothman Co. to spearhead the search for a new fire chief. Two firms submitted bids for the work, and Strope said the city selected Prothman based on the company’s proposal and lower cost.

The city will pay the search firm a total $17,500 for the company’s services, according to the proposal. The fees are broken into three separate installments — once at the beginning of the search, a second at the halfway point and the third upon completion of the final interviews. (Prothman will also charge the city for expenses, such as advertising and background checks.)

Consultants from Prothman will work with the city to understand what La Grande is looking for in a fire chief, according to the proposal. The firm will identify viable candidates and conduct the preliminary screening. Prothman will put together candidate profiles and work with the city to identify three to six finalists. Consultants will organize the final interview process and help facilitate negotiations with the top candidate.

The La Grande City Council ratified the decision to select Prothman Co. during the regular session meeting Jan. 8.