Prairie Twp. looks for new leadership; report details fire department's internal friction

Note: This story has been changed to fix errors. See correction at bottom of story.

HOLMESVILLE – Turmoil within Prairie Township has led to the fire chief's resignation, although he remains with the department as interim assistant chief.

Township trustees are turning to a state fire association to find new leadership for the 15-member voluntary force after a citizens review committee recommended changes "in the community's best interest."

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Prairie Township Fire Chief Reuben Miller stepped down at the March 22 township trustees meeting held at the fire department in Holmesville.

Miller had been on paid administrative leave since June when trustees Paul Troyer and Stacey Shaw began procedures to remove Miller from the post, which pays him $5,000 annually. Troyer also is a member of the fire department.

Following a closed-door discussion Tuesday, trustees reconvened and Shaw announced Miller would transition to interim assistant chief "with the conditions that we are going to hire the Ohio Fire Chiefs' Association to do an evaluation on this fire department to determine who would be our chief and assistant chief."

Dusty Bunt remains interim chief.

Separately, the board agreed to accept the resignation of another firefighter, Ron Henry. Trustee Troyer did not vote on Henry's resignation.

An audience member questioned at the end of the meeting whether Troyer should have been involved in the fire department matter due to a potential conflict of interest. His comments went unanswered.

After the meeting, Troyer told The Daily Record he "felt obligated to step in as a trustee and with my credentials help until we get things rolling better."

"We really need both parties from both sides to work together to make this work," Shaw said during the meeting. "We're too small of a community not to have a full house here."

Brining in the state Chiefs' Association is the best way to move the department ahead, said Shaw.

"I personally think that's a great thing," he said. " ... I hope this is a starting point to move forward. We've got to get rid of the past to move forward."

Reuben Miller still serving as a firefighter in Millersburg

Miller was appointed chief of the Prairie Township department in March 2016. He also is a full-time firefighter in the Holmes Fire District No. 1 in Millersburg, where he has worked for around 10 years.

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Miller was not immediately available after the meeting, and attempts to reach him on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Miller's attorney, Porter "Chip" Welch from Welch Legal Services in Galena, hopes the changes will allow all parties to move forward.

"This is for the betterment of the community," Welch said.

Citizens committee investigates

Trustees had a three-person committee of township residents review allegations of misconduct against Miller made by other members of the fire agency.

Over the past several months, the committee interviewed current and former members about the work atmosphere, interpersonal relationships and any negligence in duties performed, and compiled a report.

The committee uncovered "no egregious details to dismiss Reuben Miller," the report shows.

"However, we feel it would be in the community's best interest for a new chief to be assigned and, if possible, originating from an outside source," the report concluded.

The report included complaints of paperwork not being done in a timely manner, lapsed equipment maintenance after fire and EMT squad runs, poor communication among the squad, missed meetings and failure to notify all volunteer firefighters when a combination lock to the building was changed.

The report also cited a favorable change in attitude among the squad since the chief's June leave and reduced friction among the squad.

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Miller has 'outstanding reputation' within Holmes County fire circles

"Reuben has an outstanding reputation with other Holmes County fire officials outside of the (Prairie Township) department," the report said. "He is credited with running a professional department. Miller received above-average reviews for his EMT abilities, including numerous endorsements for his work."

However, the committee found, there are two distinct factions with opposing views of how things should be done.

"Some members don't engage in squad runs if opposing members have responded," according to the report. The call-out system allows members to see who is responding.

The report also found the division within the fire department has led to members leaving and stymied the recruitment process.

Problems in the chain of command

Volunteers reported problems with the chain of command interfering in the operation of the department, including interference from the trustees.

"All other fire departments in Holmes County run their respective department, not the township trustees," the report notes.

An additional issue stems from an endowment left for the fire department. The committee suggested removing control of the fund from the department.

The plan calls for interest earned from the pool of money to be used by the department, however, the funds are being utilized counter to the donor's instructions, according to the committee's report.

The ongoing rift within the department is the main issue, and Miller bears some responsibility for the division because he is on one side of the rift, according to the report.

"We have a division within the fire department, and we are trying to bring that division together," Shaw said. "It's been a struggle. We are such a small community, we need both groups working together. It's hard to make people get along."

Correction: While Reuben Miller stepped down as chief of the Prairie Township Fire Department at the March 22 trustees meeting, he remains with the department as interim assistant chief. Dusty Bunt, who has been serving as interim chief since Miller was placed on paid leave in June, remains interim chief. Separately, the board agreed to accept the resignation of another firefighter, Ron Henry. Trustee Paul Troyer did not vote on Henry's resignation. Information about Miller's status, Henry's resignation and the board's vote was incorrect when this story first published March 23.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Prairie Township fire chief steps down amid department turmoil