Chief Resigns from Texas Post; Takes La. Position

April 13, 2016
Hopkins County Fire Chief Kevin Yates accepted a job in Louisiana.

Hopkins County Fire Chief Kevin Yates resigned from his post Tuesday morning and then phoned a city in Louisiana to tell the mayor he would become his fire chief.

Chief Yates spent the morning in a closed-door meeting with Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom after county officials determined that Yates had been working with the New Llano, La. fire department as well.

“Kevin Yates had an opportunity to speak to the court,” Newsom told myssnews.com. “Chief Yates resigned effective the end of the day.”

One of the issues discussed was the fact that Yates had been serving as the fire chief in two cities, but Yates told officials that he was assisting with city with insurance ratings.

Yates was to turn in his keys and provide a letter of resignation by the end of the day.

“What he did, after the meeting, he had already called New Llano and told the mayor there to stop looking for a chief for the New Llano Fire Department, and he would be the chief as of today," Newsom said.

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Firehouse, create an account today!