By Kimberly Vetter
The Advocate
Copyright 2007 Capital City Press
All Rights Reserved
CHANEYVILLE, La. — Larry Whitley has resigned as chief of the Chaneyville Fire Protection District, he confirmed Monday.
His resignation late last week comes about two months after the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office launched a criminal investigation into the fire district.
The resignation also comes after the release of a scathing audit of the district and an increase in the district’s insurance rating, causing the price of homeowner’s insurance to jump for those living within the fire district.
Whitley said his decision to resign was influenced by the district’s recent issues along with the stress of the job and the lack of support from the city-parish.
“I liked my job but they wouldn’t give me any equipment and they wanted to fire me,” he said Monday about the Metro Council.
At the beginning of the month, the council’s Finance and Executive Committee voted to recommend to the full council that it fire Whitley and his secretary and authorize the neighboring Pride Fire District to provide fire protection services in the Chaneyville district.
The Metro Council is scheduled to vote on that issue Wednesday.
Herman Dyer, president of the fire district’s five-member advisory board, said Monday he is disappointed that the situation led to Whitley’s resignation.
Dyer said he agrees a new board is needed because the current board is almost always split on the issues. But, he said, Whitley didn’t deserve to lose his job.
“We could have worked something out,” Dyer said about the city-parish. “But, they got what they wanted.”
Metro Council member Wayne Carter has said he is looking out for people’s pocketbooks and safety. At this point, he said Monday, “we need to let the process do its job.”
Although Whitley wouldn’t specify where, he said he has another job in the safety industry and the new job has better benefits, better pay and better holidays.
“It’s a whole lot better,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about working without proper equipment.”
Whitley, who was appointed chief three years ago, also said he will miss working for the fire district.
“I enjoyed working for the Chaneyville community and thank those who stood by me,” he said.
Chaneyville Fire District boundaries are, roughly, the parish line between East Baton Rouge and East Feliciana to the north; Greenwell Springs-Port Hudson Road to the south; Plank Road to the west; and Reames Road to the east.