WI Chief Retiring amid Contract Dispute

Sept. 25 -- JANESVILLE, WI -- Fire Chief Randy Banker will retire from the Janesville Fire Department at the beginning of 2019.

In a resignation letter to the city dated Sept. 18, Banker said he plans to retire from his full-time career Jan. 11 after 34 years in fire service.

The Janesville Police and Fire Commission will accept Banker's resignation from city employment and retirement from the fire service at its meeting Wednesday, according to an agenda.

"It has been both an honor and a privilege to serve the city of Janesville and lead the men and women of the Janesville Fire Department," Banker wrote in his resignation letter.

"I cannot say enough about the talented 97-member fire department who work tirelessly every day to serve the city with duty, pride, tradition and progress."

In a statement released Tuesday, Banker said his decision to retire is not related to a contract dispute between the city and the firefighters union, Local 580.

“I have every confidence that we will reach common ground with a labor contract that is fair and equitable for both sides,” Banker said in the statement.

The union issued a news release Friday, saying the city wanted to increase members’ health insurance premiums by 400 percent in retaliation for the union filing a grievance.

The city rejected the union’s interpretation Monday, saying the proposed monthly premiums represent increases of 8 percent to 11 percent.

Union President Jason Daskam said there were indications recently that Banker would retire, saying there was “something in the air.”

“He had a lot of projects in the works,” Daskam said. “To me and to some other firefighters, it seems like he is leaving early in his plans.”

Banker had little to do with the ongoing dispute, Daskam said.

An Edgerton native, Banker has been Janesville's fire chief since January 2016, according to an earlier Gazette story.

Prior to working in Janesville, Banker spent four years as the deputy chief in Batavia, Illinois. He began his career in Geneva, Illinois, in 1984.

Banker also has served as chief of the Milton Fire Department for nearly a year as part of an intergovernmental agreement between the cites, adopted in early 2017.

The Milton Joint Fire Commission pays one-third of Banker's salary under the agreement, said Al Hulick, Milton city administrator.

Jon Jennings, a town of Milton representative on the fire commission, said he had little information Tuesday on how the commission would move forward with building a new fire station in Banker's absence.

In August, the commission asked Banker to create plans and cost estimates for four Milton fire station options. That report was expected to be presented to the commission by February.

The commission will make the best decision on the station regardless of who is chief, Jennings said.

Jennings had no comment on whether the Milton commission will have any role in hiring a new chief.

"Chief has done a good job for Janesville and has been willing to work with the municipalities," he said.

The Milton Joint Fire Commission plans to discuss its shared administration and contract with Janesville at its Wednesday meeting, according to an agenda.

Daskam said he was disappointed to hear about Banker’s retirement. He said Banker was a good leader and was viewed favorably by firefighters.

"I want to personally thank the residents, employees of the city, elected officials, and the members of both Janesville and Milton fire departments for all their support and outstanding work over the past two and half years," Banker said in his statement.

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