The Mills Town Council moved toward settling some of the strife within the distressed Mills Volunteer Fire Department on Wednesday night with the appointment of another interim chief.

Former interim Chief Keith Jones resigned Wednesday morning after a heated altercation with town council member Elsie Herbort. The two slung accusations at each other for about ten minutes before Jones laid his keys on a table in front of Town Clerk Raeann Weber and stomped out.

Jones said his command was frequently undermined by Herbort, who he said enabled firefighters to break the chain of command and go straight to council members.

"As far as I'm concerned, I had my hands tied. I was given a dead dog and told to walk it. I tried and met resistance," Jones said. "You've seen what she's like."

Jones was the second chief to resign since August, leaving the department's top two positions vacant. He succeeded former chief Ron Schindler as interim chief last month after Schindler resigned under pressure from the town council.

Schindler retired after firefighters within his department aired the department's dirty laundry at a town council meeting in May, accusing Schindler of playing computer games at work, not stocking a key medicine on a town ambulance, and being a poor leader.

Schindler later tried to fire one of his detractors, partly for speaking out against him at a town council meeting. The termination was reversed by the town council, which asked for Schindler's resignation. He retired about a week later.

Both Jones and Schindler were described by firefighters as part of an "old guard" within the department. It was a point of pride for people who spoke at council meetings in favor of the two, and a reason for others to try and push them both out of the department. The two combined had more than half a century of fire department experience.

Aside from personality differences, leadership and the rank-and-file clashed over training requirements and other policy disputes.

"Everybody wants their own thing and that's the problem," Jones said. "It's a paramilitary organization and there should be one person in charge. The chief of the [Casper Fire Department] does not run around and ask his firemen, 'are we going to do this'?"

Following Jones' resignation, Mills Mayor Joe Dill threatened to shutter the troubled department after saying the town lacked a qualified firefighter within its ranks to act as chief until one could be hired.

The town council met again Wednesday night behind closed doors to discuss the matter, ultimately deciding to offer volunteer firefighter Andy Hentzen a paid position as both the assistant chief and interim chief.

The council's offer came after a contentious meeting, during which angry residents lashed out at Herbort for raising her concerns about the fire department. Jones' wife said Herbort was more of a "black eye" on the town of Mills than the medic accused and convicted of sex crimes against a child a few years back. Others in attendance accused Herbort of disgracing the town and said they'd try to get her removed from office.

The council has to first "verify in writing" Jones' retirement. If Jones turns in papers and Hentzen accepts, Hentzen will act as the fire chief until that position is filled and will continue to serve as the assistant fire chief.

Hentzen isn't paid for volunteer shifts but is paid when covering a vacant shift, such as what happened when Jones abandoned his post Wednesday morning.

Hentzen said he would keep covering shifts until Jones verifies his retirement so Mills residents wouldn't have to worry about a lapse in service.

You can reach city reporter Pete Nickeas at pete.nickeas@trib.com or (307) 266-0639. You can read more about Casper politics and government at http://tribtown.trib.com/redtape.

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