Fire Chief Phil Mitchell sent the Garner Volunteer Fire-Rescue, Inc. Board of Directors his letter of retirement.

Mitchell's last day will be June 30, 2010. The letter came after weeks of budget talks with the Fire-Rescue Dept. and after auditors found earlier this year nearly $394,000 had gone missing during a 10-year period.

The Town Council called for Mitchell's resignation at the May 25 work session. At that time, the Council also asked that the Board of Directors for the Fire-Rescue, Inc. be restructured to include members of Garner and Wake County.