By Erin Lamb
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
VERNON, Wis. — The Town Board questioned Big Bend-Vernon Fire Department Chief Phil Buchholtz’s retirement Thursday as the Fire Department’s future remains uncertain.
Buchholtz’s retirement, effective May 1, was accepted at a board meeting last Monday. Buckhholtz has been fire chief since September 2004.
Buchholtz said in a statement on Monday and again on Thursday that his position has been both “challenging and rewarding” and he would do everything in his control to ensure the best transition for the future of the Fire Department and its personnel.
“It is with a heavy heart that I have made the decision to retire,” Buchholtz said.
In regard to his retirement, Supervisor Thomas Bird asked Buchholtz whether he was negotiating with anyone because he heard there were “arrangements.”
“What arrangements?” Bird asked Buchholtz. “Is there a buyout?”
Buchholtz said he was not negotiating with anyone at this time.
Supervisor Joe Reilly asked Buchholtz whether he was simply going to retire and it was free of any contingencies.
“That is correct,” Buchholtz answered.
Chairman Fred Michalek told supervisors that they were welcome to bring that up at another time, but the focus of the agenda item was for the chief to announce his resignation.
Buchholtz said in his statement that recently there has been finger pointing and accusations made toward several individuals and groups of individuals placing blame for the issues surrounding the operations of the Big Bend-Vernon Fire Department.
“It is unfortunate that those doing the finger pointing do not, for whatever reason, appear to have all the information necessary to substantiate their accusations,” Buchholtz said.
Some board members have been critical of the Fire Board and Buchholtz, one of the big issues being the Fire Department’s rules and regulations — which some say should have been in place years ago — and legal fees spent by the Fire Board.
One of the fire chief’s conditions of employment, Michalek has said, is that he complete the rules and regulations.
Referring to a recent newspaper report about Monday’s meeting and Buchholtz’s retirement, Reilly asked Buchholtz on Thursday about the rules and regulations.
According to the report, firefighter and emergency medical technician Jason Nye delivered a prepared statement before the Fire Board at the meeting. He said the rules and regulations will soon be in place and they would have been adopted already except for requests for minor word changes, according to the report.
Reilly said the public would get the impression that the changes are minor but that is anything but the case. He said they spent about two weeks of full-time business work getting the document in shape, and the changes were substantive and substantial.
“Would you say they were substantial and substantive?” Reilly asked Buchholtz.
“We’ve done a lot of work on it, Joe,” Buchholtz said. “Yes, I would say.”
The Fire Department’s future remains uncertain, as the village and town boards have not come to an agreement over a line item total of $4,000 in legal fees in the joint Fire Department and Fire Board’s 2010 budget.
According to the governing ordinance, the department will be dissolved if the Village Board and the Town Board do not both adopt an identical budget for the department by Dec. 15 in any year. The dissolution would take effect Dec. 31 of the following year, to provide the Fire Board with adequate time to wind up its affairs and provide fire protection in the interim.
Fire Board President Carol Shea will talk with the board at its early December meeting.
Several residents on Thursday expressed their dismay that the department may dissolve.
“It’s the responsibility at this time to get together with the village and work this out,” said resident Dan Scherbarth. “I think the consequences are far reaching in cost and budgets if an agreement is not reached.”
Judith Porter said she was unhappy with the Town Board.
“I’m embarrassed to say I live in the Town of Vernon,” Porter said.
Shirley Goff said she was upset the Fire Department may break up and questioned the costs of the new uniforms, embroidery patches and firetruck numbers.
Scherbarth said if they don’t resolve the issue, it will be costly.
“It’s a big responsibility and you have to put forth an effort to get this resolved because it is going to cost a lot to taxpayers in the future,” he said.
Copyright 2009 Journal Sentinel Inc.