Lexington shuts fire department, weighs permanent SBM contract
Lexington shut down its fire department and fired Fire Chief Mike Mohler on March 26, 2026, leaving the city temporarily covered by a neighboring department and facing a pending contract vote.[1]
Mayor Mike Murphy said operating costs rose about 40% since 2020 and the city struggled to recruit and retain paid on-call firefighters, which he cited as reasons for the shutdown.[1] Lexington has a temporary coverage agreement with the Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View (SBM) Fire Department.[1] SBM will submit a proposal for permanent contracted service on May 21, and the city has scheduled public comment and a council vote for June 4.[1]
Erik Edwards submitted his retirement letter in June 2025 and retired in October 2025; Mike Mohler was sworn in soon after. The council ordered a personnel investigation in fall 2025, and in December 2025 the city issued a disciplinary notice to Mohler over vendor-paid travel to a fire truck factory. Lexington's population was estimated at 3,021 in 2024, underscoring a small tax base that helps explain funding and staffing pressures.
A termination notice obtained by the city called Mohler lacking in "vision, leadership, and integrity," and earlier disciplinary paperwork faulted him for accepting vendor-paid travel, including a private jet trip to a Georgia fire truck factory.[1] Former Lexington firefighters told the council the department still had 11 active members and was hiring the day it was shut down, disputing the city's claim it was "barely functioning." KSTP
More than 90% of Minnesota's fire service was volunteer or non-career in 2025. Multiple departments consolidated into new districts effective January 1, 2026, as communities seek to address staffing shortages and higher costs.
The mainstream summary does not mention the broader context of staffing challenges facing fire departments across Minnesota, where over 90% of the fire service consists of volunteer or non-career firefighters. This statistic underscores the systemic issues contributing to Lexington's struggles, as many departments statewide are grappling with similar staffing shortages that threaten their operational sustainability. The summary also overlooks the trend of multiple fire departments in Minnesota consolidating or merging operations to cope with rising costs and limited resources, a move that reflects a larger pattern of fiscal constraints impacting small municipalities. Such consolidations are increasingly seen as necessary for achieving cost savings through economies of scale, although the actual savings remain debated. This context highlights that Lexington's situation is not an isolated incident but part of a larger trend affecting local fire services statewide.
Additionally, the summary frames the city's operational challenges primarily as a result of rising costs and recruitment issues, but it does not address the erosion of institutional trust in local government that may have influenced public perception and decision-making. A Pew Research Center report indicates that opaque decision-making can exacerbate declines in trust, a factor that could be relevant in understanding the community's reaction to the fire department's shutdown and the subsequent actions taken by city officials. This aspect of public trust is crucial in evaluating the long-term implications of Lexington's decision to shut down its fire department and the potential for community backlash against future governance decisions.
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📊 Relevant Data
The population of Lexington, Minnesota, was estimated at 3,021 in 2024, highlighting the small community size and limited tax base that contributes to challenges in funding and staffing local services like the fire department.
2024 Population and Household Estimates — Minnesota State Demographer, MN.gov
More than 90% of Minnesota's fire service consists of volunteer or non-career firefighters, but departments are increasingly facing staffing shortages that threaten operational sustainability.
2025 Annual Report — Minnesota Firefighter Initiative (MnFIRE)
Multiple fire departments in Minnesota have consolidated or merged their operations effective January 1, 2026, to address staffing shortages and rising costs, forming new fire districts.
New year brings new era for some Minnesota fire departments — KARE11
📌 Key Facts
- Lexington closed its fire department and terminated Fire Chief Mike Mohler on March 26, 2026, without prior broad public input.
- Mayor Mike Murphy cites about a 40% rise in fire-department operating costs since 2020 and difficulties recruiting and retaining paid on‑call firefighters as key reasons for the shutdown.
- The city has a temporary coverage agreement with the Spring Lake Park–Blaine–Mounds View (SBM) Fire Department and will receive a proposal for permanent contracted service on May 21, with public comment and a council vote scheduled for June 4.
- A termination notice obtained via public-data request says Mohler lacked the “vision, leadership, and integrity” to lead the department, and a prior disciplinary notice faulted him for accepting vendor-paid travel, including a private jet trip, to a Georgia fire truck factory—alleged violations of city ethics rules and state law.
- Former Lexington firefighters told the council the department still had 11 active members and was hiring on the day it was shut down, disputing the city’s claim that it was “barely functioning.”
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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