Burns Harbor Police were called to break up a dispute between two town department heads when one used his vehicle to prevent the other from leaving the town’s parking lot.

Adam Friday resigned as acting superintendent for the sanitation department, effective June 3, two weeks after the incident with Street Commissioner Brandon Downey, town records show.

The Burns Harbor Police Department concluded that no charges would result from the May 20 incident because it was a civil issue between Friday and Downey.

Burns Harbor Police Chief Jeremy McHargue said the incident report was forwarded to the Town Council.

Friday, who also serves with the Burns Harbor Volunteer Fire Department Corporation, couldn’t be reached for comment.

Burns Harbor Town Council President Jennifer McHargue, the chief’s wife, stated in an email reply that she doesn’t comment on personnel matters.

Councilwoman Lisa Draves also said no comment and Council members Roseann Bozak and Jack McGraw didn’t return phone messages seeking comment.

The Burns Harbor Police report gives an account of what happened just after 2 p.m. on May 20 in the town’s parking lot.

Downey contacted Chief McHargue by phone, who had his Assistant Chief Tim Lucas respond because he was on station. Downey said that he needed to pick up his child, but Friday was using his vehicle to block his pickup truck from leaving.

The dispute revolved around a personal garage door remote for the sanitation department garage that Friday had purchased. Friday had given a duplicate remote to Downey. Friday had his personal fire department vehicle parked in the sanitation department’s garage.

The reason why Friday wouldn’t let Downey leave the lot is he wanted the remote back so he could reprogram it. Friday contended that all he wanted was the remote back, but Downey wouldn’t comply.

“This is harassment dude,” Downey told Lucas, according to the report. Downey said as the street commissioner, he is entitled access to all the town buildings.

Lucas had Downey return to his building. He then talked to Friday and ascertained that the remote was private property, so it was a civil issue between Downey and Friday.

Friday agreed to the request from Lucas to move his vehicle. Lucas then called Downey, telling him he now had access to his vehicle.

Downey wanted to file harassment charges against Friday, but Lucas found from his body camera footage and statements — no claims of threats by either party — that there was “intent of legitimate communication,” so a charge wasn’t warranted, the report said.

This isn’t the first time that Friday and some town officials have had their differences.

Kurt Jordan resigned as a councilman and his wife, Jane Jordan, stepped down as clerk-treasurer on May 8, 2024, citing interactions with the volunteer fire department as a reason.

One of the issues involved Jane Jordan encountering trouble getting records from the Burns Harbor Volunteer Fire Corporation. Friday was the president of the fire corporation, which supplies the volunteer force for the Burns Harbor Fire Department.

Kurt Jordan said that the town was in danger of losing its workman’s compensation insurance in January 2024 because his wife couldn’t get the payroll records from the fire corporation. Council members had to intervene to get the records from Friday. Kurt Jordan said he presented documentation during a council executive session concerning Friday’s delay in providing records.

“The council decided not to discipline Mr. Friday for this behavior. That was the primary reason my wife and I resigned,” Kurt Jordan said.

Friday told The Post-Tribune last year that the volunteer fire corporation provided all the information that Jane Jordan requested.

Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.