Leipply out as Wills Point Fire Chief

Vote of no confidence ends tenure

It was a night of high drama at the Wills Point Fire Department headquarters June 20 with the Van Zandt County Emergency Services District #4 taking on an agenda that included potentially taking a vote of no confidence on Chief Ed Leipply.

Word of the agenda item gradually spread since it was posted at both the department and the VZC Courthouse, eventually resulting in a larger than usual crowd finding its way to the fire house for the meeting.

After opening the meeting by approving minutes from the board’s previous meeting on June 6, ESD business shifted to the public comment portion of the agenda (by law, board members are not allowed to directly address or respond to public comment.)

Public Comment

In total eight people, including six current or former fire department members, Leipply’s wife Carolyn, and community member Charlene Miller spoke during the session to voice their support for Ed Leipply ahead of the potential vote.

Miller, a Wills Point resident since 1960, addressed the board stating “I’ve seen a lot of firemen go through here. I’ve helped a lot of them. I don’t do anything but bring them a few cookies or brownies but this is a fine group of young men we’ve got here. They all appreciate it and I appreciate what they do for this town. The ones we’ve had before them, you couldn’t walk in this place without it stinking and all kinds of things were going on that shouldn’t have been going on here and that’s not what’s happened with these people…If you’ve got something that’s not broke, don’t fix it.”

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