Lexington Fire Chief Keefe Radtke announced his resignation from the department effective immediately on Monday, September 16– but made it clear that it was not his choice.
Radtke had served the village department for over 20 years, serving as chief for eight of those years. In a statement posted to the department’s Facebook page, Radtke said his resignation was not a decision he made lightly, “but one that was ultimately made for [him].” He continued, saying that “[t]he Village Council demanded my resignation without offering a single explanation. There were no meetings, no discussions, no disciplinary actions and no record of misconduct–yet they refused to provide anything in writing or even acknowledge my request for clarity.”
In his statement, Radtke further alleges that the village’s government “has repeatedly ignored the urgent needs of the fire department, operated behind closed doors and disregarded established policies and procedures,” as well as “failed to secure critical township contracts, undermined the chain of command, and refused to address slanderous, false accusations against” the chief and department members, despite Radtke providing proof against the accusations.
The former fire chief reassured the Lexington community that his resignation is “not about walking away from service,” but “refusing to continue under leadership that is secretive, unaccountable, and unwilling to support those who protect this community,” and urged them “to hold your elected officials accountable—before more damage is done.”
This is the second major resignation Lexington has faced this year, with Kristen Kaatz, village president since 2016, resigning in early May. In her resignation letter, Kaatz said that the role had become untenable due to “[r]ecent decisions made by a majority of council members outside of public meetings” taking “the village in a direction contradictory to [her] leadership beliefs.” Her position was filled by Bob Dost, who began serving as a village trustee in 2024.
A comment from village leadership is being sought regarding Radtke’s recent resignation and any subsequent hiring process for his replacement.
Read Radtke’s statement here:
