Mayor Rusty Moody is in the process of establishing an interview procedure for five fire chief candidates.

He said he hopes to have a nomination to the City Council at its November meeting.

Wayne Lavergne retired from the post this past July. Since then, the department has been managed by the captains on duty.

Two of those -- Sam Andrus and Blake Miller -- are among the five to be interviewed.

Seven persons took the chief’s test in September and five passed.

The other three are Terri Courvelle of Fire District 3, Mike Arnold of Basile and Louis Romero of Crowley.

Moody said he will create a committee from among City Council members to interview the five and recommend a candidate to him.

The mayor is required to pick from among the five, though he not obliged to select the candidate with the highest test score or the most experience.