By Jillian Ogawa
The Lexington Herald-Leader, Ky.
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — The city fire chief said Tuesday he will resign.
Rob Wittenbarger’s resignation comes amid firefighters’ public criticism and the city council’s open disapproval of his management.
Wittenbarger said he will pursue “other interests” and is leaning toward getting into the private sector. He has been with the fire department for 18 years and was appointed chief in January last year after Mayor Karen Tingle-Sames took office. She had fired the previous fire chief, Rob Bruin.
An unsigned letter from firefighters had accused Wittenbarger of cutting back on emergency runs, not replacing aging and broken equipment and making disparaging remarks to employees.
After meeting with firefighters, the mayor reassigned some of Wittenbarger’s duties. In April, city council members recommended that he be fired. Tingle-Sames said she did not feel that she had cause to fire Wittenbarger at the time.
Wittenbarger, 48, said he did not resign “to satisfy anyone.” When he was appointed, he had planned to stay in the position only until he could draw from the state retirement plan at age 50.
“There’s a time and place for everything and my time and place have run its course and it’s time for me to find a new place,” Wittenbarger said.
The mayor plans to advertise for a new fire chief.
Wittenbarger said he will continue to develop safety and health programs for city departments until June.
Wittenbarger said he is not bitter or upset at firefighters.
“The fire department will go on after all of us are gone,” he said. “It’s bigger than any of us as individuals.”
Copyright 2008 Lexington Herald-Leader