The Janesville Police and Fire Commission on Thursday threw out a malfeasance complaint against Janesville Fire Chief Randy Banker, saying the former employee who made the complaint didn’t provide enough evidence to prove wrongdoing.
Former Janesville Fire Department fire inspector Donald “Jeff” Bowen last year filed charges of malfeasance in public office against Banker, Janesville Fire Marshal Sue North and Janesville Fire Department union President Lt. Paul VerHalen.
In summer of last year, VerHalen removed Bowen from a volunteer post in the explorers, a youth outreach program chartered by the fire department’s union and the Boy Scouts of America, a move Bowen resisted.
After that, Bowen alleged in his complaints, Banker, North and VerHalen lied to police about Bowen’s mental state and his work history.