8-19-15
By Rob Moore
(HELEN) – It wasn’t mentioned during Tuesday afternoon’s Helen City Commission meeting, but at the end of that meeting reporter Rob Moore confirmed that several Helen Fire Department personnel have submitted their resignations – including the chief officer and the ranking volunteer. As the meeting was about to adjourn, Moore asked the mayor and commission about the resignation of volunteer officer Peter Keck, effective earlier this week, and about rumored additional resignations within the department.
The commission allowed City Manager Jerry Elkins to answer. “We have received resignations from Capt. Lee Poteat and from Firefighter Jonathan Sutton,” Ekins said. “And we had one volunteer Keck turn in his keys and his pager.” “We have contacted the county and the county has assured us that they will provide coverage to the City of Helen,”
After some discussion the meeting was adjourned with no further discussion of the department’s future or of how the city will receive fire protection long-term. The city and White County have been in discussions about the city paying the county to provide fire services in Helen, but no decision has been reached or approved as of Tuesday.
Poteat is the second public safety department head to resign in the city in about a month. Police Chief Jim Couch resigned recently.
