Costa Mesa Fire Chief Jim Ellis retiring this year

Costa Mesa Fire Chief Jim Ellis will retire in October after 15 months on leave, and the city hopes to find a new chief by June, officials said Monday.

Ellis, 54, went on medical leave for undisclosed reasons in June 2006. The city hired former Vernon Fire Chief Steven Parker in August as interim fire chief.

Costa Mesa City Manager Allan Roeder said the search for a new permanent chief will begin later this month and likely will focus on candidates in California.

Ellis could not be reached for comment Monday. Roeder said that after informing the city of his retirement plans, Ellis left for a vacation in Hawaii.

His Oct. 1 retirement will fall shortly after he becomes eligible to collect more than 80% of his salary as retirement pay. Roeder said Ellis receives a 3% at 55 benefit, which means he can retire at 55 and collect 3% of his $167,472 annual salary for every year he served the city — roughly $135,000. That salary does not include benefits.

Ellis joined the city as a firefighter in 1980, and after several promotions was named chief in 2001. Roeder praised him for his service to Costa Mesa and also for encouraging different county public safety agencies to coordinate their activities.

“He’s done just about everything there is to do, not only for the fire service for the city of Costa Mesa but countywide,” Roeder said.

“From a personal standpoint, I’m glad that he’s chosen the course of retirement. I know it’s been stressful for him being out, and some of that relates to ‘Can I return back to work?’ ”

Interim Chief Parker will not be a candidate for the permanent position. Roeder said he’ll be looking for someone prepared to address the location of a possible new fire station and who can develop new talent in the fire department, which has seen a spate of retirements recently.

“It just seems like almost every month somebody is retiring from the fire department,” Roeder said.