Butler City Council has accepted the retirement of former Butler Fire Chief Nick Ban.
“I’ve been in office over two years. During this time, I’ve watched and evaluated things in the city. Among those are the fire department and the fire chief. After many observations and much thought, I felt that it should be time to name a new fire chief. I talked to Chief Ban numerous times; told him things that I thought; things he should do in management.”
Butler Mayor Tom Donaldson said he is standing by his decision that a change needed to be made in order to allow the department to be restructured with a goal to “maintain financial solvency.”
Ban chose to retire at the rank of chief last Friday before the demotion was set to take effect. Director of Public Safety Councilwoman Kathy Kline believes that the mayor was incorrect in seeking a legal second opinion without authorization from council.
“I find these actions that have occurred to be very self serving, and manipulating. Why should taxpayers of the city pay for a second opinion that should never have happened? Why should we, council, be forced to accept a second opinion when it was not approved?”
According to Kline public safety for the community is intact since the officer in charge at the Fire Department is also acting chief.
Written by Ryan Saeler
