Paul Clinton Fire Chief Michael Dolder has...

Paul Clinton

Fire Chief Michael Dolder has been the city’s version of a utility

infielder who can rotate positions on the diamond depending on where

he is needed most.

Dolder, who announced his retirement last week, has run the fire

department for Orange County’s third largest city since 1991. He has

doubled as the city’s information systems director since 1997.

In past years, Dolder has also stepped in as the assistant city

administrator, managed the city’s complex phone network and run the

emergency operations center in the basement of City Hall.

Dolder’s workaholic dedication has resulted in a steady string of

70-hour work weeks, City Administrator Ray Silver said.

“He’s a very versatile person,” Silver said. “He wears many hats

and is willing to put in the time and effort to make [each job]

happen.”

While he says he has relished each challenge, the 58-year-old

Dolder has also yearned for time to pursue other things.

“It’s just time to take it a little easier,” Dolder said. “I’m

getting to the point at my age when I want to enjoy life.”

Dolder joined the city as its top fire official in 1991, after

almost 20 years in public safety jobs in Northern California cities.

He began his career in 1972, when he joined Union City’s department

as a firefighter. After a promotion to captain, Dolder left in 1979

to take the top job in Millbrae, a city with 23,000 people and 23

firefighters.

Dolder took another step up the ladder in 1982 when he took over

as fire chief and public safety director of San Luis Obispo’s

department.

Working in Huntington Beach has been a tougher challenge, Dolder

said, in part because of the size of the city. Surf City also has its

share of unique environmental problems created by eight decades of

oil drilling on much of the land.

Cleaning up oil-industry byproducts like peat and drilling mud,

containing methane leaks and overseeing soil cleanup efforts have

been a staple of Dolder’s diet here.

During his dozen years of service to the city, Dolder has also

overseen the implementation of an ambulance program, volunteer

Community Emergency Response Team and the newly built Fire Station

No. 6.

During his stint as the city’s information systems director,

beginning in 1997, Dolder led the effort to modernize the city’s

antiquated computer network. Before entering public safety, Dolder

was a chemist as the Sanford Research Institute.

“We took them out of the dark ages and brought them into the

modern world,” Dolder said. “I’ve really got a technical background.”

With all the tasks at City Hall, Dolder said he hasn’t had much

time to develop hobbies. He hopes to reverse that trend.

He said he hopes to spend more time with his wife, Linda, as well

as with a handful of woodworking projects that never seem to get

completed. Dolder, who has lived in Huntington Beach for 12 years,

also has two grown daughters.