(PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF RESIGNS … New Swanton Fire and Rescue District Deputy Chief Barrett Dorner stands with Mayor Neil Toeppe after the village council voted to approve his hiring during its August 12, 2024 meeting. Dorner submitted his resignation from the position on March 18.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Just seven months after being sworn in and halfway through his one-year probationary period, Swanton Fire & Rescue Division Deputy Fire Chief Barrett Dorner has tendered his resignation from the department.
The resignation, effective April 21, was due to a mutual agreement that Dorner “was not a good fit for the department,” according to a statement from the village.
In Dorner’s resignation letter, however, he stated a major factor was “two major, concurrent personnel conduct issues in February,” one of them being the recent inappropriate relationship between Fire Chief Cuyler Kepling and a female subordinate, which resulted in a reduction of Kepling’s salary by $5,000, his employment being placed in probationary status for six months, and the continuation of counseling and training by verifiable third parties.
“I respect and, in one case, specifically supported the outcome professionally. But personally, I struggled with how I could continue to serve in that environment while taking into account my values, morals, and expectations for a healthy workplace culture. I have decided I cannot,” Dorner wrote.
As to his own performance on the job, Dorner wrote that he was given a favorable performance evaluation in late November and that he was rated “above average” in five categories.
“As you know, the remaining sections also showed I was meeting expectations, and Chief Kepling noted that a few minor issues I encountered as I adjusted to a new organization were quickly remedied,” he wrote.
The village council and administration have not yet decided how to move forward, including whether or not a new deputy chief will be hired, whether instead a new captain in charge of training is hired, or whether no replacement will be sought, according to Mayor Neil Toeppe.
Dorner’s hiring was originally approved by council and his swearing in completed on August 12 of last year. His final day in the office was March 18, with vacation time carrying him to his April 21 end date.