Oct 3, 2002 By Steve Ferris 3 min read

Uniontown Fire Department Chief James C. Wood’s retirement becomes official Friday after city council formally accepted his retirement Tuesday. A 34-year department veteran, Wood submitted his retirement letter Sept. 4 and has been on sick leave since then to undergo physical therapy for his knee, which was operated on in July.

Wood, 55, joined the department as a volunteer in 1967 and became a paid firefighter in 1969. He was appointed chief in 1996 and has led the department’s 11 paid and 30 to 35 active volunteers since then.

“I wish Jim well,” Mayor James Sileo said. “I hope he enjoys retirement.”

Council agreed to pay Wood for 85 accumulated sick days and 13 accumulated vacation days.

After Wood submitted his letter last month, City Councilman Gary Crozier, the public safety director, said the chief’s job will remain vacant until next year.

Until then, assistant chief Myron Nypaver, who is also the city’s code enforcement officer, will be the ranking member of the department.

Crozier indicated that the new chief will be hired from within the department and that Nypaver, Capt. Harold Bell and Capt. Chuck Coldren were the leading candidates.

Police department employees were another subject at the council meeting.

Council accepted the resignation of police officer David Basile and the retirement of police secretary Margaret B. Mathers, who will have worked for the city for 19 years and 10 months when she retires on Oct. 22.

In an unrelated matter, veteran Ron Danko of the American Legion Post 51 in Uniontown reported to council that some of flags that line downtown streets were “cut off the poles with knives” and found lying in the streets on Sept. 12.

He said the Legion spent $15,000 on the poles and flags and recently bought 200 more flags to replace the desecrated ones and some that were weather-damaged.

More need replaced and the post will ask businesses for donations in November.

“We can get the money because the people of Uniontown and Fayette County are generous when it comes to veterans,” Danko stated.

He asked anybody who witnesses someone desecrating a flag to call the police.

Council also heard from attorney Charles Gentile, who said students in Uniontown High School art teacher Beverly DeMotte’s class designed 9/11 memorial murals that will be painted on the exterior walls of his office facing Gallatin Avenue and South Street.

He said he is not asking for contributions, as the paint has already been donated, but volunteers are needed to help paint.

The work will be done on Saturday mornings beginning Oct. 12 starting at 9 a.m.