Crown Point, Ind.-- A simple message honoring the 343 firefighters killed when the World Trade Center's Twin Towers fell five years ago turned out to be the final straw for Crown Point's fire chief.
Mark Oster resigned from the post Tuesday morning after he said Mayor Dan Klein became upset that he didn't seek the mayor's permission to put up the message on the sign in front of the Crown Point Fire Department.
"After three months I basically had all I could take," Oster said, adding that he was not able to make a move without the mayor's permission.
He is the fourth fire chief in five years in Crown Point.
Klein, in a statement issued late Tuesday afternoon, said he had met with Oster, but disagrees with his assessment.
"Stemming from this conversation, I have been accused of disapproving a message on the Crown Point Fire Department sign that honored the firefighters who lost their lives in the heinous terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Let the record show that I have no problem honoring these individuals," he said. "In fact, I believe it necessary to remember the fallen police and fire rescue workers and volunteers that gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
"The issue that I did have with the sign, however, is that it was not inclusive of the whole Fire Department. Not only should the volunteers recognize the victims, but so, too, the whole C.P. Fire Department as well as the whole city of Crown Point. In response, I requested that the former chief, who was given approval to make final decisions on the Crown Point fire sign, take this into consideration. I believe that this allegation is a blatant attack on my character, my loyalty to my country and those who serve it. I find these comments insulting and without merit," he said.
The city, in an earlier statement, called Oster's decision "regrettable," and said a search for a new chief already has begun. Until a replacement is found, EMS Division Chief Mark Baumgardner Sr. will serve as acting chief.
Klein said he knew Oster's tenure would be limited, but he did not expect it to end so soon.
"We had come to the realization that Mark was unable to find a comfort zone with our small-town atmosphere. I believe the constraints of maintaining a permanent residence in Florida, adapting to the budget restraints of a small municipality compared to a large city and conflicts with taxpayer justifications on city resources led to Mark's decision," Klein said in a statement.
Oster was a firefighter in Indianapolis for 28 years and a volunteer firefighter in the city of Lawrence for 20 years. Though he retired and was living in Florida, he said he always wanted to be the fire chief in a small community and applied for the Crown Point spot.
In just the few months he has been in Crown Point, he reorganized the department to include three division chiefs and put renewed priority on training. The purchase of two new firetrucks also has been approved.
"From the day that I walked in the door here as the new chief, members of the Fire Department were very open armed to me, very acceptive of changes to move the department forward. I just felt things were going in a very positive nature. There's just things that I think the department ought to be doing," he said.
However, Oster said, he was not allowed to create a budget or capital improvement plan, nor was he allowed to speak to the City Council without permission from the mayor.
"I had no idea it would be like what it is," he said.
He said he plans to leave Crown Point and return to Florida.
Oster said he met with Klein about the sign Monday night.
"I just decided right then that I had had enough," he said.
Baumgardner said in a statement that he is ready to do what is best for the department and the city.
Klein said Baumgardner will be a good fit.
"He will guide a competent and hardworking group of firefighters, a group that maintains one of the highest emergency response standards in the state," Klein said.
Republished with permission of the Northwest Indiana Times.
