Posted 12:01 pm Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Athens Fire Chief Officially Retires
By KELLY PREW
Staff Writer
ATHENS - Athens City Council on Monday unanimously accepted the retirement of Athens Fire Chief Dan Barnes, following an action last week to put him on paid administrative leave.
Staff Writer
ATHENS - Athens City Council on Monday unanimously accepted the retirement of Athens Fire Chief Dan Barnes, following an action last week to put him on paid administrative leave.
Barnes and Fire Marshal Waylen Padgett were placed on leave Jan. 18 pending separate investigations into alleged violations that occurred in December, according to City Administrator Pam Burton.
Because Barnes was a city department director and not a civil service employee, Burton is conducting the investigation.
"I will not comment on the investigation, except to say it continues," Burton said Monday. "There is still an internal investigation going on, but (Barnes) is retired, and we're not going to do any additional investigation with regard to Dan Barnes."
Burton would not specify alleged violations or what findings her investigation has uncovered.
Padgett, a civil service employee and 34-year veteran of the department, is being investigated by Assistant Fire Chief Tres Winn, who will follow guidelines of the civil service code.
There is no timetable set for either investigation.
Burton said there is no plan of action to name Barnes' replacement, and the fire department will follow the chain of command.
The council went into executive session Monday to deliberate regarding Barnes, who has been fire chief since 1998.
Upon returning to chambers, Mayor Randy Daniel announced Barnes' letter of retirement.
"We appreciate his years of service to the city of Athens," Daniel said. "We wish him well in retirement."
This article was last updated on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. CST.
This article was last updated on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. CST.
