ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County Fire Chief Anthony Rios resigned Tuesday, citing a misleading response he gave to county commissioners during a recent budget presentation as the reason for his departure.
Rios, who has served Orange County for nearly 26 years, submitted his resignation to Mayor Jerry Demings effective July 31. In his resignation letter, Rios acknowledged his words fell short during a question from commissioners about the purchase of a county-assigned vehicle.
“Although the purchase complied with all county procurement policies and procedures, my response did not fully communicate the complete context and, as a result, could only be perceived as inaccurate,” Rios wrote in his letter. “As Fire Chief, I understand that intent does not diminish impact, and I accept full responsibility for my words.”…