Resolution Approved Reinstating Employment of Fired Bemidji Firefighter

Bemidji City Council members have approved a resolution reinstating the employment of a former firefighter who was fired in May of 2023.

The resolution was unanimously approved by the council and will pay longtime firefighter Bill Batchelder $80,000 and change his status of employment from May 17th, 2023 to January 1st, 2025 as “on leave.”

Batchelder, who served as a Bemidji firefighter for almost 40 years, voluntarily retired from his position as of January 1st of this year. Batchelder had been fired for alleged misconduct and was appealing that decision, but the appeal process had been delayed.

The city resolution said that, “[B]ased on further review and consideration of the totality of the circumstances related to the Appeal, the City determined that proceeding further with the Appeal is not warranted,” and that “[The] City and William Batchelder mutually fell that it is in the best interests of each party to avoid the time, expense, effort, and risk of proceeding with the Appeal.”

“Total relief that I’ve been reinstated to the Bemidji Fire Department,” he told Lakeland News. “That speaks volumes for who I am as an individual and how much I care about this community and my fellow firefighters. The fire department has been the single most incredible part of my adult life. Being a member of the paid on-call volunteer staff for nearly 40 years, the work that I had done in the community with the team was—has been the greatest joy and appreciation for everybody within this community.”

Batchelder says he will continue serving as the secretary-treasurer of the Northern region of the Minnesota State Fire Department Association. That region represents over 50 fire departments in northwest Minnesota.

The resolution states nothing in the agreement shall be construed to be an admission by either the city or Batchelder of any liability, violation, or wrongdoing. We have reached out to Bemidji city manager Richard Spiczka for further comment, but he has not responded to an email sent by Lakeland News.