South Metro’s next fire chief is locked in. The South Metro Fire Department has selected Mike Nelson to succeed Chief Mark Juelfs, who plans to retire at the end of May. Nelson is slated to take over on May 30, 2026, wrapping up a weeks-long search by the district’s board of directors.
According to the department’s South Metro Fire Department, the March 18 board agenda included a Fire Chief Employment Agreement for Nelson, laying out a proposed contract for the incoming chief. The hire was first reported by the Pioneer Press, which noted that the board authorized Nelson’s contract and confirmed his May 30 start date.
Nelson most recently served as fire chief in Shakopee and previously worked for area departments in South St. Paul and West St. Paul, according to the City of Shakopee. City materials state he was hired as Shakopee’s chief in June 2024 and highlight a combination of leadership credentials and on-the-ground firefighting experience.
Chief Mark Juelfs, a 20-year veteran of the department who was promoted to chief in November 2019, announced that he plans to retire at the end of May, the Pioneer Press reported. That timing gives South Metro a clean handoff for Nelson’s arrival and a clear runway to finish ongoing staffing and training work before the transition.
Board Process And Timeline
The board’s decision followed several weeks of behind-the-scenes vetting. A special meeting on March 3 focused on employment terms and leadership assessments for finalists, according to the South Metro Fire Department. Those discussions set the stage for the mid-March board packet that included Nelson’s proposed employment agreement.
What It Means For South St. Paul And West St. Paul
Nelson steps in as South Metro is working to bulk up its ranks following a $3.4 million federal grant designed to speed up firefighter hiring, local reporting has noted. That infusion of money, along with the department’s broader recruitment push, will be front-and-center priorities for Nelson, according to the West St. Paul Reader.
The board has indicated that bringing Nelson on is meant to keep day-to-day operations steady while leadership changes hands, and to give him space to zero in on staffing, training, and response readiness ahead of his late May start. In the meantime, the department and board will finalize contract details and work through onboarding in the coming weeks.
