Hastings Fire Chief resigns; cites conflicts with city administration
More controversy has struck the city of Hastings, as Fire Chief Brad Starling is resigning, which was made public Wednesday evening.
By News Channel NebraskaHASTINGS, Neb. – More controversy has struck the city of Hastings, as Fire Chief Brad Starling is resigning, which was made public Wednesday evening.
In a release sent to News Channel Nebraska by Starling's attorney, the Chief's resignation is immediate and Starling cited multiple concerns with the city for his departure.
In his resignation letter, Starling voiced his frustration with the lack of growth of the fire department and took aim at the Hastings City Council.
"The council has made it clear they do not support expanding public safety positions. Our visions for the future of Hastings Fire-Rescue no longer align." said Starling's resignation letter.
Starling claims himself and the department endured an 11-week investigation by the city which was "rooted in malice rather than merit."
The city responded with a statement Wednesday night saying that Starling had been on administrative leave since Aug. 14.
He was being investigated due to concerns brought by fire department personnel, including failing to address safety concerns, retaliation against employees, and failure to address bullying behavior.
The city says officials requested an interview with Chief Starling, but he declined to participate and subsequently submitted his resignation letter.
Our partners at KSNB Local 4 also report that Fire Captain Jason Henry and Firefighter Eric Schreiber are also no longer employed by the City of Hastings.
The city says Assistant Fire Chief Troy Vorderstrasse is now the acting fire chief.
This controversy hits the city after it was made public Wednesday that the city council will vote on firing City Administrator Shawn Metcalf in its upcoming meeting on Monday.
The full statements by Starling and the city of Hastings are below.