Athens-Clarke Co Manager names interim Fire Chief

Athens-Clarke County Manager Blaine Williams names an interim replacement for retired Athens-Clarke County Fire Chief Jeff Scarbrough: Battalion Chief Nate Moss will take over. Williams says Vic Pope, an assistant director for the Athens-Clarke County Transit Department, is the Department’s interim director, replacing Ryan Solchenberger, who resigned last month.

From the Athens-Clarke Co government…

Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Manager Blaine Williams has named two long-term employees to serve as interim directors for the Fire and Emergency Services Department and the Transit Department while a national search takes place for the permanent positions.

Battalion Chief of Support Services Nate Moss was named Interim Fire Chief and Fire and Emergency Services Department Director as of October 7, 2023 due to the retirement of Fire Chief and Department Director Jeff Scarbrough.

Moss has served with the department for 20 years and has spent his entire career in public safety with the department. He manages public information for the department, assists with many emergency management responsibilities, and has worked in areas of emergency suppression response, training, and administration with the department.

Retiring Fire Chief Jeff Scarbrough had served with Athens-Clarke County since 2013. Prior to joining ACCGov, he served as as a Chief Officer with Sandy Springs for over seven years to help establish the community’s fire department and served with the Clayton County Fire Department for 26 years. Over his career, Scarbrough served more than 43 years in fire and emergency services departments.

“Chief Scarbrough has been an exceptional fire chief and department director in his 10 years with ACCGov,” said Williams. “Although he would tell you that his staff and firefighters deserve the accolades, his leadership helped obtain one of the best insurance services office ratings in the country while he also worked to establish the department’s EMS response that has helped saved lives in this community. We owe him our thanks for these and many other efforts and wish him well in his retirement.”

“I greatly appreciate the opportunity to serve as Fire Chief in Athens-Clarke County and I am excited about the next chapter of my life, which will mostly be about my family,” said Scarbrough. “It is my sincere hope that I helped Athens-Clarke County Fire and Emergency Services continue taking steps of excellence in serving the community.”

Transit Department Assistant Director Victor “Vic” Pope was named Interim Transit Director as of September 22, 2023 due to the resignation of former director Ryan Solchenberger. Solchenberger joined ACCGov in April 2022 from Kitsap County, Washington.

Pope was born in Athens-Clarke County and attended Cedar Shoals High School before graduating from Kennesaw State University. He has worked with the Transit Department since 2007 and served in capacities as a bus driver, Route Supervisor, Transit Planner, and Assistant Transit Director with the department.

©2023 Cox Media Group