Mendon Township Fire Board appoints Casey Oatley as fire chief

The Mendon Township Fire Board accepted the resignations of Chief Hoss Avery and Assistant Chief Dune Batten and appointed Casey Oatley as the new Mendon Township Fire Chief at a meeting on May 6, 2025.

Clerk Donna Cupp opened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. and the board approved an amended agenda. Treasurer Griffith moved to accept the resignations of Hoss Avery and Dune Batten; Trustee Watson supported the motion and the board voted to accept the resignations.

Treasurer Griffith then recommended that Casey Oatley be named fire chief. "A motion was made by Griffith, supported by Watson and Batten. Motion carried," the minutes record. Clerk Cupp said the appointment will be presented to the Mendon Township Board later that evening for its approval and that she would file the required notification with the State Fire Marshal.

The board also confirmed several operational items. Chief Avery corrected an error in the minutes, saying, "The drop tanks are $910.00 each, not $110.00 each as it says in the minutes," and Clerk Cupp said she would fix the record. Trustee Watson asked about department badges; Oatley confirmed badges were on hand. The minutes note that fire hoses were ordered "through Moses." Clerk Cupp suggested revisiting stipends paid to fire department officers, and members discussed updating the insurance contact to reflect personnel changes.

Routine financial business was completed before adjournment: Clerk Cupp presented the treasurer's report, which the board approved (motion by Cupp, supported by Trustee Batten), and April bills were approved (motion by Trustee Batten, supported by Trustee Watson). The meeting adjourned at 6:44 p.m.

The board recorded that the appointment and personnel changes will be forwarded to the Mendon Township Board for its review and any required state filings.