Charlottesville Fire Chief Andrew Baxter resigns, effective immediately

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Charlottesville Fire Chief Andrew Baxter has resigned effective immediately.

In a letter to fire department staff, Baxter wrote, “my values and professional ethics will not allow me to continue to work in the current leadership environment.”

He had been chief since 2015.

Email exchanges show he has been at odds with City Manager Tarron Richardson, most recently over the department’s future and funding. The most recent plan did not include funding to cover new positions requested.

Richardson had also been in heated email exchanges with fire union representatives earlier this year over the issue.

In Baxter’s resignation letter, he wrote, “I have come to understand that we do not share the same vision for the Charlottesville Fire Department or leadership of the city government.”

Richardson has named Emily Pelliccia as interim Charlottesville fire chief effective immediately. Pelliccia is a native of Charlottesville and a long-time resident of Belmont. She joined the Charlottesville Fire Department in August 1994. Click here for more information.