A Mayes County community now has to rely on outside response after almost all its volunteer fire crew – and the full-time chief – resigned in the middle of a Chouteau Town Council meeting Oct. 13.
2 News was first alerted by neighbors of the council meeting when its agenda listed executive sessions then votes on terminating and replacing fire chief Amber Williams, police chief James Turner, and assistant police chief Sam Tortet. No reasoning was given.
However, town attorney Ben Sherrer stood up at the beginning of the council meeting to tell the capacity crowd on hand that the city leaders cannot proceed with those items because of “defective notice as to certain issues”, then clarifying that the three first responders were not properly notified of the council’s plans.
Chief Turner told 2 News off-camera he learned of his potential public firing over the weekend on Facebook, while Chief Williams said after the meeting she saw it from the agenda posted Oct. 9…