PORT ALLEN - A former West Baton Rouge Fire deputy chief settled with the parish fire district Monday after claiming he was wrongfully fired.

In January, the West Baton Rouge Parish Fire Protection District 1 terminated Deputy Fire Chief James Hartley, alleging that he violated sick leave policies.

Hartley and his attorney, Kevin Vogeltanz, chose to appeal the termination. Vogeltanz argued that there was no lawful authority to fire Hartley, claiming that the parish ordinance only allows the fire chief to make those decisions.

Hartley has alleged his firing was retaliation for his opposition to the removal of the fire chief position.

"I challenge anyone in this room to find me one example nationwide of a department of our size that is completely made up of contracted part-time leadership," Hartley said in October 2025 at a WBR Fire Board meeting.

Monday afternoon's hearing was an opportunity for Hartley and Vogeltanz to present their case to the West Baton Rouge Fire Civil Service Board.

However, for almost an hour after it was scheduled to start, Hartley, Vogeltanz, and Troy Ingram, the attorney representing the Fire Protection District, met outside the council chamber to come to a compromise.

"The parties have agreed to a settlement of an undisclosed amount at this time, subject to Board approval by the Fire District Board, without any admission of liability," Ingram told the Fire Civil Service Board.

The civil service board voted to accept the agreement and conditionally dismiss the appeal.

"Some of the details will be able to be disclosed publicly after the Board of Commissioners approves," Vogeltanz told WBRZ.

As part of the settlement, the district does not admit any wrongdoing.

"We're very satisfied with the agreement that we reached, and we think that it's in the best interest of Mr. Hartley, and I think we should say the Fire Protection District," Vogeltanz said.

This doesn't mean the appeal is over, as the settlement must still go before the board of commissioners for final approval.

"If the board of commissioners doesn't approve, then we will file a motion to reset the hearing. We'll file that motion within 90 days. The Civil Service Board will pick a date convenient to all the parties, and we'll be right back here ready to go," Vogeltanz said.

Vogeltanz says there's an attempt to get the agreement on the agenda for the fire board meeting on April 23.