Rutherford County has a new Public Safety director.

The City of La Vergne announced Wednesday that Fire Chief Chris Clark has submitted his resignation after accepting a new position with the county.

Clark (not the same one that worked for Channel 5) has accepted the position of Public Safety Director for Rutherford County. His last day at La Vergne will be April 8. Chief Clark has been with the Fire Department since 2014 and accepted the position of Fire Chief in January 2019 after the death of Fire Chief Ricky McCormick.

“I appreciate all of the hard work Chief Clark has done over the last year that he’s served as chief of La Vergne Fire Department,” says Mayor Jason Cole. “He has moved the department forward with better training and has positioned the city for better responses to emergencies. We will miss him but are excited for him as he moves into this new opportunity.”

The City of La Vergne has named Battalion Chief Nick Matthews as the interim fire chief. Matthews will work closely with Chief Clark and city staff to ensure a smooth transition.

The City of La Vergne has begun its search for a new fire chief. Applications can be submitted online at LaVergneTN.gov.

You may remember that County Mayor Bill Ketron fired previous Public Safety director, Kevin Lauer, after talks broke down between Murfreesboro and Rutherford County to form a Rutherford County Emergency Medical Service dispatcher co-location agreement.