By FOX23 News
CHOUTEAU, Okla. — The former Chouteau Fire Chief and over a dozen public safety workers resigned from their post Tuesday night.
The mass resignations took place at the Chouteau Town Hall meeting where multiple members of emergency service units including the police chief were set to face demotions or even be fired.
Instead, former Fire Chief Amber Williams resigned along with 11 others. Their entire team had 17 people on it.
Chouteau is now left with one full time staffer anf five volunteers.
“I stand behind my volunteers, if they’re gonna walk out, i’m with them,” says Williams. “Whenever I come in as chief, I set standards for the department. These guys have rose to those standards. I can’t tell you how many hours of training they put in, how many hours they spend away from their family. All the things that they go through to be a volunteer. And they rose to those standards. I can’t ask anything else of them and that the city council don’t seem to appreciate that. So if it takes this department walking out to see change on that board, then I guess that’s a sacrifice we’re willing to make.”
Williams put blame on the town board saying a lack of communication and daytime help led to the resignations.
