The chief of the Moline Fire Department resigned at a city council meeting Tuesday night after the decision was made to lay off 12 of his firefighters, according to WQAD-TV.
Fire Chief Ron Miller's resignation came as a shock to his colleagues. He said he doesn't think the city's priorities are in the right place.
The city was forced to make cuts due to a million dollar budget deficit and decided to privatize EMS services.
The 12 firefighter/paramedic positions will be eliminated by July of next year and will allow a private company to handle ambulance calls.
"Their number one priority should be the safety of their citizens," Miller told the news station. "They care more about worrying about brick streets and leaf blowing."
