LATHROP – The Lathrop-Manteca Fire District board of directors Thursday night appointed Fred Manding as the new fire chief.

The appointment was by a majority vote of 3-2 with Gloryanna Rhodes and Claudio Revives voting against the promotion of Manding from interim chief.

The board’s decision was announced during the public portion of the meeting held in Station #1 on J Street in historic Lathrop. Voting in favor of Manding were board chairman Bennie Gatto and directors Bill Mahaffey and Manuel Medeiros.

Manding, who is from Manteca, has held the interim post since January 2008. He was appointed to the interim position after the early retirement of longtime fire chief Jim Monty. Like Monty, Manding also held the dual role of chief and fire marshal at the same time. As the new chief, he will decide if he will continue to be the fire marshal or appoint somebody else on staff.

“To my estimation, he’s doing a good job,” board chairman Gatto of Manding’s  job performance on the interim capacity.

Gatto said Manding’s appointment as the new fire chief will be effective immediately.