It has been an honor to contribute to the safety and well-being of our community, and I will always look back on my time with the department fondly.”

Stanley Fire Captain Nate Samplawski.

It’s a brand new year, the first council meeting of 2025 held Jan. 6. Contained in Monday night’s approved consent agenda, is a resignation letter by Stanley Fire Captain Nate Samplawski.
“I am writing to formally resign from my position as Second Captain with the Stanley Fire Department, effective 12/09/2024,” Samplawski writes. “This decision was not an easy one, and I have deeply valued the opportunity to serve and work alongside such a dedicated and professional team.” Going on to allege “illegal actions” by Fire Chief Ron Patten and Mayor Mike Henke, Samplawski said he would not take part.
“I will not take part in the actions nor will I be responsible for your actions when someone gets hurt,” Samplawski writes. “The day the city had illegally fired our Respected Fire Chief is the day I had stepped up and successfully took charge of our Department. The corrupt and bias fire board that was made did not find me fit for any type of promotion. Ron Patten decided to put people illegally in command positions that they do not have the qualifications. This is one of the many unsafe and illegal actions.”
Next referencing a Fire Board meeting held Nov. 11 in open session Samplawski said Patten had stated “those three” with reference to Amanda Samplawski, Nathan Samplawski, and Andy Koepl “are the only issues left there.”
The result as Samplawski tells it is a lack of welcome.
“I no longer feel welcome at the Fire Department,” he says. “The final straw for me was when you have changed locks and the door code for the Fire Department. The so-called Fire Chief has not communicated the door code to myself and others. What kind of department is he trying to run here?”
Going on to express “sincere gratitude,” for colleagues, support, camaraderie and experiences at Stanley, Samplawski thanks the City Administrator Nicole Pilgrim for her help.
“Thank you Nicole, for all the help you have given me to aid me in running the department when Ron was absent from the Department,” he says. “It has been an honor to contribute to the safety and well-being of our community, and I will always look back on my time with the department fondly. I thank Chief Korey Hagenson for the opportunity to serve with the Stanley Fire Department.”
Reached for comment on Samplawski’s claims, Stanley Fire Chief Ron Patten had the following to say.
“Any office stuff with his resignation is really being taken care of through the mayor,” Patten said. “I’ve just been told to stay out of it.” Regarding allegations of “illegal actions,” Patten said that someone had turned the department in but that state officials had not found anything to substantiate the claims. The Stanley Fire Chief was due to meet with a state auditor Tuesday, Jan. 7 to hand over additional paperwork that wasn’t collected the first time. The locks have been changed, an action he says was recommended by the people who performed the audit.
As for EMS first responders, Patten said that Stanley currently has five, not counting an additional three that hadn’t come to events for months. Patten did not specify the three by name.
Attempts to reach Mayor Mike Henke were unsuccessful before press time.