Two months after it accepted James Gable’s resignation as chief of the Phoenixville Fire Department, the borough council named his replacement.

By a unanimous vote at Tuesday’s regular meeting, the body appointed John Buckwalter the new chief. He will take over effective January 1, 2013.

While council president Richard Kirkner called Buckwalter “very impressive,” the new chief said he has modest expectations.

“I just [want to] continue to serve the public in the best way we can,” Buckwalter said after the meeting.

When asked if he planned to make any changes to the department Gable presided over, as a volunteer, since 2007, he shook his head.

“No, nothing earth shattering.”