Ironton could be a little closer to getting a new police chief - but some involved agree the process has been longer and more complicated than they had anticipated.

City council is expected to give third reading Thursday to a budget revision that includes money to pay for the testing of the three candidates for police chief.

Ironton Finance Director Cindy Anderson said the civil service commission had used $500 earmarked for testing to pay for the sergeant's and captain's tests.

That meant the civil service commission had to come back to city council and ask for more money for the chief's test. Instead of declaring an emergency, council opted to take three meetings to give the required readings to the budget revision that included the money for the test.

Ironton Civil Service Commission Chairman Dick Rice said he also had difficulty finding a company that could compile the test without charging the city the proverbial arm and a leg to do it.

The test includes questions on city charter, budgetary processes and other issues specific to the city of Ironton, Rice said, and therefore must be custom ordered.

&#8221I've researched every where I know, trying to find some company that can make our test. They've pretty much got to be tailor made,“ Rice said. &#8221The cheaper company that made the tests for us last time went out of business. We've even thought about the civil service commission setting up the test.“

No date has yet been scheduled for the three interested captains - Chris Bowman, Jim Carey and Dan Johnson - to take the test.

The chief's test is a bit late in coming. State law requires that the test be conducted within 60 days of a chief's resignation. Former chief Bill Garland retired July 4, meaning that 60-day mark passed more than a month ago.

The sergeants who want to advance to the rank of captain and the officers who wish to advance to the rank of sergeant have already undergone their civil service testing.

The results of the tests were handed back to city officials Sept. 29. While no one can be promoted until a current captain is promoted to chief, Sgt. Joe Ross earned the top score in the captain's test and officer Beth Rist scored the highest on the sergeant's test.