Pullman fire chief resigns

Pullman Fire Chief Brett Nash has resigned, effective August 1, just five months after taking office. City spokesperson Meghan Ferrin confirmed the resignation but did not provide details on the reasons behind it. Mayor Francis Benjamin plans to meet with city leadership this week to discuss the next steps. Prior to joining Pullman, Nash served at the Henderson Fire Department in Nevada and was sworn in on February 12. The fire department's operations will continue under assistant fire chiefs Ryan Scharnhorst and Andrew Chiavaras.

Nash's departure comes during a tumultuous year for Pullman, which has seen other leadership changes, including City Administrator Mike Urban's resignation amid conflicting accounts of his departure. Urban was placed on administrative leave due to an investigation regarding text messages related to former Police Chief Jake Opgenorth, who resigned amid allegations of assault. The city is actively searching for a permanent city administrator, with interviews planned for August.