Fire Chief Resigns After Flint Township (MI) Rejects 16-Week Leave of Absence

Flint Township Fire Chief Brett Beckley
Fire Chief Brett Beckley in Flint Township, Michigan on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. (Jenifer Veloso | MLive.com)

Ron Fonger – mlive.com

FLINT TWP., MI — Brett Beckley has resigned as the township’s fire chief after the Board of Trustees turned down his request for a 16-week leave of absence.

Beckley, who was hired as chief three years ago, had asked for the leave to attend the Mott Community College Police Academy but trustees rejected a proposal to allow him to use accrued vacation and paid time off for most of his absence.

The chief will continue in his position until early next month, township Supervisor Karyn Miller said, and the position will be filled through the township’s civil service process.

Beckley told township officials he was being sponsored in the academy by Bishop Airport, where he also works part time as a public safety officer in a department with officers who are cross-trained as both firefighters and police officers.

Miller cast one of six votes against the leave of absence request, calling it “one of those tough decisions.”

“It surprised me,” Miller said after Beckley tendered his resignation following the board’s decision on Jan. 6. “He’s done a good job.”

MLive-The Flint Journal could not immediately reach Beckley for comment on Tuesday, Jan. 14, but in a letter requesting the leave of absence, he said that both he and the township would benefit from allowing him to be trained in police work.

“Our police department does a fantastic job at protecting our personnel on (fire) scenes when available, however, due to their call volume this is not always possible,” his Dec. 27 letter reads. “We have had several incidents over the past few years where having (a) police-trained firefighter would offer another line of defense and security in these situations.

“I know this is an important decision and a large commitment. However, I feel confident that I can continue to serve as your chief and continue moving the (fire department) in a positive direction.”

All but one board member and some residents didn’t agree.

Treasurer Tom Klee cast the lone vote in favor of the leave of absence.

“I just don’t see the benefit for you going to the academy. What’s it going to do for the township as a whole?” Trustee Barb Vert asked during last week’s meeting.

Resident MaryBeth Seaward also urged the board to reject the proposal.

“We need a full-time fire chief in Flint Township …,” Seward said. “We need him here — being a leader, doing his job as chief full time.”

Township officials have struggled to maintain police and fire departments with current funding levels and last year held a public hearing on a proposal for a public safety special assessment that would have raised roughly $1 million annually.

Beckley said then that fire staffing had reached a critical level with trucks routinely responding to calls for help with just one firefighter on board.

Trustees eventually dropped the 4-mill special assessment proposal.

Beckley, a former fire marshal and assistant fire chief, was hired as full-time chief in the township in January 2022, filling a vacancy that had been open for about 18 months.

He began his career as a firefighter in Flushing in 2004, moving up the ranks to become a lieutenant there.

He was hired as a firefighter in the township in January 2019 and was promoted to sergeant and interim assistant chief in August 2020.

Although he told the township he would have limited availability while attending the academy, Beckley said he could continue to oversee day-to-day operations, catching up with administrative work on evenings and weekends.

“This is my … time that I have earned in my six years on this department,” he said of his leave request. “It is an extended vacation essentially for me.”

After using accrued time off, township officials estimated Beckley would also have been off work for 21 days of unpaid leave.

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