The conference room at the Stanley Fire Station had more visitors than normal as Boyd/Edson/Delmar Fire Chief Ron Patten began the Stanley Fire Department meeting on Monday, August 12 after being appointed as interim Fire Chief for Stanley last week after Fire Chief Korey Hagenson was fired as Chief. After requesting for volunteers to attend the Stanley-Boyd Orioles football games, Patten asked for various fire department records, a list of the firefighters, and keys to the office. He then explained that the rest of the meeting would continue as training.
“So, what are we all doing here then?” asked Pete Koepl stating that Patten wanted them all there. “Ron, we’ve been neighbors for how long? I knew you for how long? Now you guys are going to come in here and try to take over the station? You guys been after Korey ever since Al Haas has been on here.” He called out Mayor Mike Henke and Alderperson Mark Fitzsimmons , who were in attendance at the meeting. When attendees asked if department positions had changed Patten answered that Amanda Samplawski’s position and Kenny Hagenson’s positions have not changed. He said that Samplawski is currently the assistant EMS Service Director.
“You treat us like we are little kids,” said Assistant Fire Chief Kenny Hagenson. “I am the assistant chief, I do do something. Maybe some of you people don’t think so but I do.”
Kenny Hagenson asked, “I thought there was supposed to be this big change, Ron? Is this big change not happening because there are too many people sitting here?”
“All changes come slowly,” began Patten. “And yes, there will be changes. There’s changes to Boyd, and Thorp, and everybody. So yes, there are going to be some changes and I know people won’t like it.”
“What are some of the changes?” questioned members of the fire department.
“Nothing’s been determined yet, is what I’m getting at,” responded Patten. “It’ll have to be between the council and the Boyd Fire Department Board or the Thorp one.”
“What does Boyd and Thorp have to do with this now?” they asked.
Patten answered that the possibility of combining departments was discussed months ago. “I think that’s one option. There’s many options. We don’t know if all the city councils and the Boards could even agree on anything but there’s a lot of options on the table. There may be changes, there may be none.”
Meeting attendees asked Henke and Fitzsimmons to speak but they remained silent.
“You guys represent the city. Speak up. What are your thoughts?” asked Barb Hagenson.
Koepl stated that he thinks they should bring Korey Hagenson back. “Bring him back! He worked his ass off. There’s no reason to fire him. Turn the decision around, bring him back!”
Stanley resident Ron Halterman Brown asked the attending councilmembers how Patten can be the fire chief for Stanley since he resides in Boyd.
“How is that working? Please explain as a concerned citizen how we are putting in a chief who does not reside in our community per your bylaws from your website which is a government run website.”
Patten answered that the interim chief can be from anywhere.
Kenny Hagenson asked how much Patten would be paid to work in Stanley.
“That has not been discussed at all,” said Patten.
“How many hours will you be working?” Kenny asked.
“Will you be limited to 10 like Korey was?” asked an attendee.
Patten said he didn’t know, and it wasn’t discussed yet so he wasn’t told that he was limited to anything. “So far I haven’t asked for any compensation. I’m just trying to help the problem here.”
A member of the fire department asked why Korey was limited to a maximum of ten hours to get everything done but then when he didn’t get something done, he was told he wasn’t doing the job correctly.
“You guys never gave him enough hours to get anything done.”
Halterman Brown stated, “We have two councilmembers here that are elected by the city that need to answer also because as a concerned citizen I’d like to know how this came about. There should be communication between us your constituents and you as members of our city council.”
It was mentioned that there will be a petition to reinstate Korey Hagenson as Stanley Fire Chief.
Members of the fire department asked what the procedure is to elect a new fire chief.
Patten explained that the Stanley Fire Department would vote on an individual to recommend to the Stanley City Council who would have the final vote.
“Give us Korey back and all of this will be done,” said an attendee.
“I’m on this fire department to serve my community. It’s never been for the money,” said Jody Halterman.
“We are a family that sticks together, and the community is part of us too,” agreed Kenny Hagenson. “Korey had more care for the people than the damn money. Unfortunately, some people don’t see that but obviously that’s the past now we have to get to the present.”
“I want everybody to be heard but I can’t change this stuff,” said Patten. “It’s between the city council and whoever.”
Cindy Hagenson asked Henke about the process for adding an item to the council meeting agenda. Henke explained that an individual could sign up before a council meeting and then speak for a maximum of three minutes during public comment.
Barb Hagenson asked, “Was Ron voted in by the end of the meeting on Monday or was he told prior to the meeting that he will be interim Chief before Korey even knew his demise?”
Kenny Hagenson stated that the decision was already known at the chiefs meeting.
Andrew Koepl then motioned for Kenny Hagenson to be the Stanley Fire Chief and it was seconded by Jacob Caroll at the agreement of the rest of the fire department with Jody Halterman and Mike Fazendin abstaining. Patten stated that it would have to be done at a regular meeting to which members of the fire department stated that this was a regular meeting. Patten then finalized the voting process for Kenny Hagenson to be recommended as Stanley Fire Chief by the Stanley Fire Department to the city council. The meeting then adjourned so the department could begin training.
