Millers disengage from Westminster Fire Department
Charles and Jennifer Miller are leaving Westminster Fire Department for which they have devoted years of service. In a sense, their decisions to no longer fight fires are a result of the city’s budget squabble. City Councilman Charles Miller spent 32 years as a volunteer fire fighter; his wife, Jennifer, has chosen to step down after 10 years as a paid fire fighter. Mr. Miller told 101.7/WGOG NEWS that his wife’s decision to resign adds up to one of the three fire department positions that have been eliminated as part of the cuts to arrive at a balanced budget. Mr. Miller said when he ran for office last year he received an ethics opinion that it was OK for him to serve on council and as a volunteer fire fighter so long as he would not be gaining financially. But the disagreement over whether the city should keep its fire department convinced him to resign as a volunteer. In the case of Mrs. Miller her decision to resign as a paid fire fighter was her’s alone, according to Mr. Miller, and not that of the city’s.