PORT TOWNSEND — An 18-year volunteer firefighter has submitted his resignation to protest the demotion of a fellow volunteer.
The move by East Jefferson Fire-Rescue volunteer David Herrington was made Monday, and he cited the demotion of Pete Langley at a Jefferson County Fire Protection District No. 1 board meeting July 18.
The board voted unanimously to demote Langley from having a position of authority after being presented with an investigative report by Chief Mike Mingee of an incident involving City Councilwoman Lori Medlicott in May.
“My resignation is not a personal attack on Chief Mingee,” Herrington said.
“I just feel the direction the department is going in — and the way Mingee is directing it — is not working for me.”
Councilwoman’s complaint
Mingee’s investigation focused on a complaint made by Medlicott on May 24 in which she said Langley, while in uniform, made a comment about the fire department that she interpreted to be a threat.
While at the Rhododendron Festival Grand Parade on May 20, Langley reportedly said to Medlicott:
“The department is run so badly that with your husband’s health condition, you should be concerned that if you call 9-1-1, you may not get a response.”
Medlicott has refused to comment on the issue, and Langley, a volunteer for 17 years, said the conversation in question never happened in the context Medlicott said it did.
Langley said he believes his demotion is politically driven because he has been vocal about changes within the department.
He also said he plans to appeal the fire district board’s decision to demote him.
Herrington, who has been on administrative leave for the past three months, said he believes Mingee, who was hired August 2004, has plans to phase out much of the need for volunteers in the department.
He said Langley’s demotion was the last straw.
Mingee said Tuesday that the department is reliant on both paid, career firefighters as well as volunteers, and he has no plans to drop the need for volunteers.
“I don’t like to see people resign, but if there are individuals who are causing more harm than good, then maybe they need to rethink their involvement in the department,” said Mingee.
“I don’t want people here who are not happy.”
