It’s been about one year since the Waukesha Fire Department has been without a permanent fire chief, but the applicant field is becoming crowded as the Police and Fire Commission look to hire a candidate this spring.

Mark Morien, the vice president of Voorhees Associates, told Waukesha Patch he has received 48 applications for the fire chief position. Voorhees is conducting the nationwide search at the direction of the Police and Fire Commission.

Morien declined to state the number of internal candidates or name the internal candidates, saying, “I am not at liberty to release any details at this time.”

Morien will return to the Police and Fire Commission in early March to present candidates, he said.

Fire Chief Allen LaConte announced his retirement from the Waukesha Fire Department in November 2011 after working for the city for 34 years.

His last day was celebrated at the department in early March 2012.

A quarrel between the Waukesha Common Council and the Police and Fire Commission about funding for a nationwide fire chief search brought a long delay to the hiring process. Because the Police and Fire Commission is an independent body by state statutes, the Common Council can’t interfere with its hiring decisions. However, members on the Common Council wanted an internal candidate promoted, which would save the city from the recruitment expenses.

The council was split 7-7, with Mayor Jeff Scrima voting against funding a national recruitment firm.

But the council eventually changed directions after being confronted with the state statutes that require Police and Fire Commissions to remain independent.

Assistant Fire Chief Steve Howard has been acting as fire chief since LaConte left the department.