Interim Shakopee Fire Chief Ed Schwaesdall, who was in line to become the department’s first full-time chief, resigned Tuesday during a closed meeting with the City Council.

Schwaesdall, who had been the part-time chief since 2005, was recently put on paid administrative leave while an allegation was investigated.

The council took no action during the closed meeting, Mayor John Schmitt said. Afterward, the council voted 4 to 1 to accept Schwaesdall’s resignation, much to the dismay of a contingency of his supporters — including firefighters and family members — who attended the meeting and also wanted to speak.

Schmitt told the crowd that due to state law on employee resignations, he couldn’t allow public discussion on the resignation issue.

He also declined to allow people to discuss their complaints about the process for the chief selection.

People spoke up to say they had concerns about the hiring process, as well as how the city conducted the investigation.

"We’re here to talk about the process and also to support the chief," said Fire Department Lt. Trevor Geis, who had a prepared statement in hand.

Recognizing this was a "difficult issue for everyone," Schmitt said procedural matters could be addressed during an upcoming meeting the city plans to hold with firefighters to discuss the future direction of the Fire Department.

Had Schwaesdall not resigned, under the state’s open meeting law, the City Council would have had to discuss the matter in public if it was considering disciplinary action.

City Administrator Mark McNeill said previously he wasn't at liberty to discuss the nature of the investigation.

Family members tried to speak to the council during the meeting about the longtime dedication Schwaesdall has given the department.

"I’m ashamed of some of you on this board," his father Pablo said.

As the discussion was cut off, someone from the audience shouted: "You didn’t let the people speak."

Following the meeting, Geis declined to comment on his planned remarks, but said he would be talking more about them later.

For more, see Thursday’s print edition of the Shakopee Valley News.

-Shannon Fiecke