Forgot Password

Not a Member? Sign up here!

Local News

Former Fire Chief Speaks on Termination

 

Multiple disagreements between the Coffeyville fire chief and city manager leads to the termination of the fire chief. Former Fire Chief Kenneth Ward started with the Coffeyville Fire Department in October 2021. Ward says some of the disagreements that occurred since he was hired include changing a lieutenant position to an engineer but not giving engineers a dollar raise and increasing uniform allowance by $50, use of a ladder truck at a golf course and CRMC charity event and then finally a disagreement on overtime pay for response to hazmat events.

 

CFD is the hazmat response team for a 12-county area in the region. Ward says the contract states firefighters who respond to those events get paid for double time and the state reimburses the city for that pay, so it doesn't cost the city any extra money. According to Ward, City Manager Mark Hall did not want to pay firefighters the extra money, which led to the complaint filed by the union. Ward says he doesn't think Hall likes the fire department.

 

Ward says he isn't on a campaign to get Hall fired or even to get his job back he just wants the public to know what happened. He says he loves the community and loves working for the fire department and would take his job back if it was offered. Ward is the third fire chief in Hall's tenure as city manager. KGGF reached out to Hall for further comments but have not heard back from his office.

Listen Live

Facebook

Weather