Pontiac Times

OXFD to start new year with new chief . . .

When 2023 rolls around, Oxford Assistant Fire Chief Matthew Majestic will drop the “assistant” part of his title. On Wednesday evening, the township board of trustees voted 7-0 to promote Majestic to the rank of fire chief, effective Jan. 1.

Majestic, who has served as assistant chief since April 2021, is “excited” about the new role he will play in the community’s future. After spending the last 18 months learning, leading and building relationships, he feels ready to tackle this challenge.

“I’ve got some wonderful people to work with here. That makes (the transition) easier,” Majestic said.

He greatly appreciates the guidance, knowledge and support he has received from Fire Chief Pete Scholz, who will retire on Dec. 31 after 46 years with the department.

Majestic has been a paramedic since 1987 and a firefighter since 1991. Prior to Oxford, he spent nearly three decades with the West Bloomfield Fire Department. He ended his career there as a captain. Majestic helped manage a battalion of six fire stations that serve West Bloomfield, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village and Sylvan Lake.

As chief, Majestic, a 1986 graduate of Cousino High School in Warren, said he will always strive to do the right thing.

“You don’t always have black-and-white, yes-no answers, but you always know in your heart what’s right and what’s wrong,” he said. “I know what’s right and what’s wrong when it comes to daily stuff and I’m going to hold everyone accountable to that standard.”

When it comes to making decisions and dealing with the people around him, Majestic’s goal is to be “consistent” and “treat everybody equally and fairly.”

“Being able to do that is something that I’ve taken a lot of pride in,” he said. “You can’t make it personal.”

Majestic’s personal motto is “Be nice – set the example.” He ends every email with those words.

“If you do that in life, you won’t have problems with people,” he said.

Majestic tries to live by that motto and he wants the men and women under his command to exemplify it when it comes to working with each other and serving the public.

“Professionalism, compassion, empathy, caring – these are the qualities we’re going to strive for every day,” he said.

When he’s not working, Majestic enjoys spending time with his wife of 31 years, Katey, and three grown children – Abby, Adam and Autumn.

Original source can be found here.