Butler Mayor Tom Donaldson filed a civil suit against city councilmen Michael Walter, Kathy Kline and Corey Roche on Friday.

“I think the complaint speaks for itself,” Donaldson said. “It has to do with the fact the (Butler Fire Department) promotions were made without testing.”

Donaldson referred to the promotions of firefighters Jim Kaufman and Donald McCoy, who were promoted in May to captain and lieutenant, respectively, without the testing required by the civil service rules and regulations approved 5-0 by council on Sept. 24, 2015.

Donaldson’s aim, according to the complaint, is to make the promotions null and void and to return Kaufman and McCoy to their previous rank and pay. He also is aiming to receive reimbursement for attorney fees for “this suit and such and other further relief as this Honorable Court deems just and proper,” according to the complaint.

“The controversy is the mayor believes that the two firemen were promoted outside the rules, and evidently (the three members of) city council believe that they were not, so we’re asking the courts to decide who was right,” said Larry Rodgers, Donaldson’s attorney.

Judge Marilyn J. Horan will oversee the case.