The Miami Township Fire-Rescue station is at 101 E Herman St, Yellow Springs. (Submitted photo)
Fire chief placed on administrative leave
- Published: February 19, 2025
Following a special meeting of the Miami Township Trustees on Tuesday, Jan. 28, Fire Chief Dennis Powell has been placed on paid administrative leave due to an internal complaint.
During the special meeting, Trustee Vice Chair Marilan Moir and Trustee Don Hollister held a nearly two-hour executive session to “consider the investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee.” Trustee Chair Chris Mucher was not present for the meeting.
Following the executive session, Moir and Hollister voted to approve the resolution placing Powell on leave, and to investigate an internal complaint brought against Powell by a member of Miami Township Fire-Rescue staff. Moir and Hollister voted to authorize Brossius, Johnson and Griggs law firm to conduct the investigation, and to appoint Captain Nathaniel Ayers to serve as acting assistant chief until further action is made by the board.
The nature of the complaint made against Powell was not discussed in open session; the News spoke briefly this week with Hollister, who declined to comment on the complaint while the investigation is ongoing.
During the Trustees’ regular meeting Monday, Feb. 3, there was disagreement on how the complaint was handled after Mucher expressed his dismay that the complaint was “immediately handed over to our legal department, without any consultation, for a full investigation.”
“Consequently, I will not be participating in … any of the votes that might arise from this because I have no background information,” Mucher said.
“There is no background information — there’s simply a complaint,” Moir said in response. “The proper procedure is that somebody can bring a complaint without it being taken directly to the person that they’re grieving against. … I therefore protected the employee by taking it directly to counsel.”
“Thank you very much,” Mucher said. “You are wrong on all counts.”
The News will continue to follow this story as it develops.
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