West Fork's police chief resigned Friday amid a federal investigation into the city government.
John Collins resigned Friday morning, he and Mayor Charlie Rossetti said.
Timeline
West Fork
• Dec. 31, 2012: Police Chief Mike Nelson retires, eventually winning a seat on the City Council; John Collins replaces him.
• April 2014: Department of Environmental Quality detects discharge of untreated wastewater from West Fork treatment plant into the White River.
• June: Washington County deputy prosecutor says he handed investigation of complaints against West Fork city government to the FBI.
• Aug. 8: Collins resigns as police chief.
Source: Staff Report
Collins' resignation is the latest in a city government troubled by infighting and violations of the Freedom of Information Act.
Collins confirmed his resignation Friday morning and said he was too busy to answer questions. He didn't return multiple phone calls Friday.
Rossetti said Collins resigned "under good circumstances" and already had another job lined up.
"We had a good working relationship," Rossetti said. "I don't know if he's been thinking about it for a while or not. It was sudden to me. I hate to lose him."
Collins had been police chief since January 2013, taking over when longtime chief Mike Nelson retired. He was in charge of four police officers. The city's Police Commission, which includes Washington County Sheriff Tim Helder, will begin looking for a replacement next week.
Mike Nelson's son, Sgt. John Nelson, became the department's highest ranking officer after Collins' announcement.
"I didn't know anything about it or know it was coming," Mike Nelson, former chief, said Friday, declining to comment further. Mike Nelson serves on the City Council.
The resignation came about two months after a Washington County deputy prosecutor said the FBI had taken over his investigation into public corruption and environmental complaints against West Fork's government.
Deb Green, FBI spokeswoman, said Friday she couldn't confirm or deny the investigation. Denis Dean, the deputy prosecutor, said the FBI hadn't contacted him about the case.
The investigation began after raw sewage from the water treatment plant went into the White River in April. City officials blamed the 43-year-old plant's age and said the amount of waste released was negligible.
Rossetti said he didn't believe Collins was pressured to resign because of any role in the investigation. Steve Winkler, who publishes the town's Washington County Observer news website, disagreed. He said Collins helped investigators begin their work, which could have prompted a backlash.
Several West Fork officials have resigned or been asked to resign in recent years.
Collins became chief under former Mayor Frances Hime, who resigned in November. Her resignation followed several public arguments with the council, but she cited family reasons for leaving. Before her resignation, Hime asked Fire Chief Mitch McCorkle to resign, but he refused. Hime's predecessor, Jan Throgmorton, replaced Jeff Baker after he resigned in 2008.
Greg Tabor, Fayetteville's police chief, resigned from the town's Water Commission in 2011.
Tabor's resignation came shortly after the City Council approved an emergency loan of $25,000 to the commission to make its payroll. The commission largely operates separately from the city government and operates the troubled wastewater plant. Tabor cited difficulty attending the commission's meetings for his resignation, not its financial problems.
West Fork also has recent history of investigations of its officials. Dean filed misdemeanor charges in 2012 against Michael "Butch" Bartholomew, the Water Commission's superintendent, and former mayor Virgil Blackmon, who's on the commission, in connection with violating the Freedom of Information Act. The charges resulted in fines.
NW News on 08/09/2014