Former Overton VFD [assistant] fire chief reads letter of resignation to city council

OVERTON, Texas (KLTV) - A former assistant fire chief read his resignation letter in front of a packed house at the Overton City Council meeting Thursday night.

“I, TJ Lewis, effective 10-16-2022, have resigned from the Overton Volunteer Fire Department,” Lewis read to the council.

TJ Lewis read his resignation during public comment. He resigned October 16 along with Fire Chief Terry Lewis, Bradley Pierce, and another firefighter who TJ says has decided to go back to the department. But TJ says he wanted to go on the record at a council meeting to help him move on. The other two firefighters did not make a public comment at the meeting. TJ Lewis says he can’t speak as to reasons the others resigned, but he’d speak for himself.

“I decided to resign because the powers that be decided to come to a normal business meeting that the fire department was conducting, and proceed to make some personal attacks, questioning my character and my morals. It soured my stomach, didn’t sit really well, and I figured it best I just go ahead and eliminate myself from the issue between city and whatever the issue may be with the fire department,” Lewis said.

Lewis says he has a job as a firefighter in another East Texas city but started with Overton VFD when he was 16. He says there are still over a dozen volunteer firefighters in Overton who can respond to calls.