Mesquite Police Chief Troy Tanner, left, pins newly selected Mesquite Fire Chief Jason Andrus with a badge after the city council approved Andrus’s appointment on Tuesday, Feb. 13.

After a tumultuous year in the Mesquite Fire and Rescue Department, the Mesquite City Council appointed Jason Andrus as the newest fire chief on Tuesday, Feb. 13.

Andrus, an 11-year veteran of the Mesquite Fire Department, takes the helm as a seven-month temporary appointment of Mesquite Police Chief Troy Tanner as Fire Administrator comes to an end.

The Mesquite City Council and City Manager Andy Barton assigned Tanner to the administrator position last July in an attempt to bring order to the department after the former Fire Chief Kash Christopher was relieved of his post in May 2017amid turmoil.

As part of his temporary duties, Barton charged Tanner with finding a suitable fire chief within the current ranks of the department rather than looking for a new chief outside the department.

Newly selected Mesquite Fire Chief Jason Andrus takes his oath of office after the Mesquite City Council approved his appointment on Tuesday, Feb. 13.

Andrus addressed the council saying “I’ve been in the trenches with the men and women of the Mesquite fire department for the last 11 years and I’m honored to serve as their chief. We’re not going to let you down. We do have some changes coming. Whatever it takes to serve the citizens of this community in the most professional manner with the most fiscal responsibility is what we’ll do.

“I’m very grateful to the people in the Fire department because I wouldn’t be here without their support. I look forward to our future and I’m excited. I would like to thank Chief Tanner for his support and mentorship.”

“I want to thank Chief Tanner for taking over a funky job as the administrator. He’s made some good progress in a great department,” Councilman George Rapson said. “I hope we can all get on board with the new chief and keep going in the same positive direction. I appreciate the whole department’s support of the transition.”

Councilmen Geno Withelder, Dave Ballweg, and Rich Green seconded Rapson’s comments.