STUART, Iowa– The director of Emergency Medical Services for the City of Stuart has resigned following an alleged controversy that led the City Council to call a special meeting to evaluate his job performance. According to WHO-TV, Sean Bovinett reportedly submitted his resignation on Thursday night. A special agenda posted on the city’s website said council members were expected to discuss his “professional competency” in a closed session. The council livestreamed the first 2:45 minutes of the meeting before going into the closed portion. When the Council reconvened in an open session, they voted to accept Bovinett’s resignation.

While the city has not released an official reason for the meeting, multiple sources close to Stuart EMS confirmed it stemmed from a recent incident the volunteer Fire Department had addressed on its Facebook page. “It has been brought to our attention and seen by some members that the flag has been tampered with and raised to full staff on several occasions even after being lowered,” the post read, in part.

The flag had been lowered in accordance with a mandate from the Governor in memory of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, who had been publicly assassinated Sept. 10. A separate order by the Governor mandated flags be flown at half staff on Sept. 11 for the anniversary of 9/11.

The flag was raised prematurely four or five times, according Fire Chief Stephen Martinson. The act was caught on a surveillance camera that has been posted outside the fire and EMS station for several years, he said. The agencies share a building. The repeated actions sparked frustration among some community members who had caught wind that it was someone employed by taxpayer funds.

It remains unclear how Bovinett’s departure will impact day-to-day operations at the agency.