CHINO (March 17)– A year after Paul Segalla’s hiring as fire chief of the Chino Valley Independent Fire District was hailed as a giant step forward for the department and the community, he officially departed from his position, a month-and-a-half after he was placed on administrative leave January 24.
Segalla had continued to draw his annual $188,328 salary during his absence, which came about, board president John DeMonaco said, as the board made an “assessment of the compatibility of his management style with the goals of the district.”
Apparently, the board’s members were unable to collectively resolve the administrative and management differences they had with Segalla. The district said in a press release last week that Segalla, who  had been fire chief with the West Covina Fire Department for five years when he accepted the position in Chino Valley,  is intent on seeking employment elsewhere.
“Chief Segalla has informed the board that he is now desirous of seeking a new position outside of the district,” according to the district press release. “While it has been a pleasure working with him, on behalf of the board of directors we wish Chief Segalla future professional success and thank him for his dedicated service to the district.”
Segalla, who had been provided with a three-year contract upon his hiring, was removed from the district payroll as of March 4, an indication that there were unfavorable issues in the evaluation that the district is willing to cite in justifying the contract termination.
Neither Segalla nor the district, has gone beyond the district’s prepared public statements.
Segalla had been the fire chief with West Covina since 2008, and previously was fire chief in Lockpart Township, Illinois, fire captain with the Berkeley Fire Department, fire lieutenant in Aurora, Illinois and a firefighter and deputy chief with the Downers Grove Fire Department in Illinois.
Interim Fire Chief Tim Shackelford has been leading the department in Segalla’s absence.