EDWARDSVILLE - - The reason behind the sudden resignation of Edwardsville Fire Chief Mike Karlechik remains unclear, but he suggested his management style may be to blame.
"My management style was not always parallel with that of the city administration," Karlechik said Wednesday from his home.
City Administrator Ben Dickmann would not comment about Karlechik's management style or his reason for resigning.
"We, generally, have a policy that prohibits us from discussing personnel issues," Dickmann said. "That is not to say our lack of comment is to be viewed as a positive or negative replay."
Within the past 7 1/2 years, Karlechik said the department should be credited for not losing any revenue-generating buildings during a fire, and for having no fire fatalities or serious injuries to any fire personnel.
"I stand on that as an accomplishment," Karlechik said.
On Tuesday, Capt. Jim Anderson was named acting chief until a new chief is appointed. Karlechik's resignation was effective last Friday.
Anderson is a professional and very capable of serving as acting chief, Karlechik said.
Anderson, who has been with the department for more than 25 years, said he still is getting acquainted with the position and hasn't given much thought to whether he plans to apply for the position permanently.
"We always have ongoing programs that the department is involved with such as training, fire hose testing, pre-fire planning," Anderson said. "Those are issues that need to be continued, which is how I see my role right now."
Anderson would not comment on Karlechik's resignation.
Karlechik came to the department in 1996 after serving as a firefighter, shift captain and chief of the Granite City Army Depot at the Melvin Price U.S. Army Support Center. He also served as an adjunct faculty member in the Fire Science Program at Southwestern Illinois College.
The search for a new chief is expected to begin within the next 30 days when the city will begin accepting applications, Mayor Gary Niebur said.
Currently, the department has 18 full-time firefighters, who are also trained paramedics.
