THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408280094
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NAGS HEAD LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
For the third time in the past month, a high-ranking public-safety official in the town of Nags Head has resigned.
Doug Remaley, the town's fire chief since 1985, submitted his resignation to Nags Head Town Manager J. Webb Fuller on Friday afternoon.
On July 26, longtime Nags Head Police Chief Lonnie B. Dickens III resigned, as did Assistant Fire Chief Lowell Spivey. Both cited personal reasons for their decisions.
One week after his resignation, Spivey became the first paid fire chief in the history of the town of Kitty Hawk.
Remaley would not elaborate on his decision when contacted at his home Saturday afternoon.
``I just think it's time for me to move on,'' he said.
``For me to say anything else wouldn't be necessary. I have always tried to be a professional, and I want to leave this job in a professional way.
``I'm grateful to the town for the opportunity, and grateful to the people that I've worked with in building this department.''
The job pays about $42,000 annually.
Remaley said he has tentatively accepted a job with Dare County to serve as its fire marshal. His resignation from the Nags Head department takes effect Oct. 1.
Remaley, 48, a 28-year firefighting veteran, worked in Anne Arundel County, Md., and later in Annapolis, Md., before being named Nags Head fire marshal in 1984. He became chief in 1985.
Fuller praised Remaley's professionalism.
``He was our first paid fire chief,'' Fuller said. ``He brought a high degree of professionalism not only to our department but to the entire Outer Banks area.''
When asked about the departure of three public-safety officials in the past month, Fuller said, ``I don't have any comment on that.''
Mayor Renee Cahoon said, ``The town has lost a valuable employee.'' She also declined to comment on why three officials had left recently, saying only that when people ``have a chance to go to greener pastures, you can't do much about it.''
Commissioners Wayne Gray and Robert Muller expressed regret at Remaley's decision.
``Doug was a good fire chief. I don't know why he's leaving, but I do know he's leaving on his own. He's certainly not being forced to leave,'' Gray said.
Muller echoed Gray's praise.
``Doug's done an excellent job,'' Muller said. ``He's built the department into what I believe is the best in Dare County.''
As for the turnover among high-ranking police and fire officers, Muller said, ``There's turnover for the right reasons and turnover for the wrong reasons. I think if a person resigns to better themselves, it's the right reason. But if you have a lot of turnover in certain areas, that might be an area that the commission would want to look into. But I don't think when somebody resigns to better themselves that it's a problem.'' by CNB