MAYNARDVILLE, Tenn. — Maynardville Mayor Ty Blakely said almost all of the volunteer fire department in the city has resigned.
"When we go to serve the public, we're serving the public. Not an individual," he said. "It's just a shame, really."
The acting city manager dismissed Danny Smith from the fire chief position on Wednesday. Blakely said he was welcome to stay on as a volunteer with the fire department.
"The city manager — who does all hiring and firing with our employees — decided he wanted to move in a different direction [with the chief position]," Blakely said.
Marty Smith held a press conference on Wednesday with multiple volunteers resigning. She said her husband's dismissal was political retaliation.
"This, I feel, is in retaliation for my serving on the city council and losing the election yesterday," she said. "At this point in time, these firefighters don't see a need to continue on."
She told the Maynardville community they were without a fire department and to be extra careful going into the holiday weekend.
Blakely said he finalized a deal with two volunteer fire departments to help cover Maynardville until they have someone in place. There is also at least one remaining volunteer firefighter at the department who told 10News he'd like to see the staff rebuilt.
Blakely said Danny Smith struggled to stay within the roughly $87,000 budget he was given and had resigned at least three times this year.
Most departments in the area receive about $20,000 a year, according to Blakely. All of that can be supplemented with donations.
"Volunteers are hard to come by, but we're going to be OK and we're going to move forward," Blakely said. "This constant drama that has to stop."
The city manager decides who will be fire chief, although it is not a paid position. The chief can decide who he would like on his volunteer staff.
Danny Smith could not be reached for comment as of Thursday afternoon.