The Hartland Fire Department is in a state of dysfunction, but also that it is operationally ready to respond to emergencies, according to a study.
The department was audited by Five Bugle Training & Consulting to evaluate the fire department since Fire Chief Dave Dean took over in 2014.
"It is the opinion of the consultant that the Hartland Fire Department is in a state of dysfunction regarding leadership practices and creating a culture of inclusiveness," the audit concluded. "In spite of this, the department does appear to be operationally ready to respond to a variety of emergencies both independently and in mutual aid situations."
The village contacted Five Bugle Training & Consulting, owned by retired Eau Claire Fire Chief Bruce Fuerbringer, in November to investigate complaints the village board had received from a fire department employee.
The village provided Lake Country Now with a heavily redacted copy of the report that lays out many criticisms of leadership in the department.