After a Weare Board of Fire Wards meeting in which interim Fire Chief Bill Tiffany refused to resign and department animosity was brought to light, members of Weare Fire Rescue decided to bring their case to the Board of Selectmen.

“I went to the Board of Selectmen after last Monday’s (Jan. 12) meeting,” said Victor Thibeault, a 12-year member of the Weare Fire Department. “With the animosity going on in the department and rumors of people wanting to leave, I felt the Board of Selectmen and residents should know, due to the safety concerns for the town.”

Thibeault said during this closed session meeting on Monday, Jan. 19, many members requested a leave of absence from the department, to which they were asked to postpone for the moment.

“I, as well as the other (Fire Department) members, want to rectify the situations going on within the department so we can better serve our residents,” said Thibeault.

According to Thibeault, a state fire marshal told him that fire marshals are in place to oversee boards of fire wards, but won’t step in there is a safety concern for the town.

After being told this, he delivered a letter to state Fire Marshal Bill Degnan on Friday, Jan. 16, about the issues within the department, citing departmental issues as a safety concern, as mutual aid has needed to respond to many calls, as Weare Fire Rescue has not responded.

Weare selectmen declined to comment on the issue, and Degnan could not be reached as of press time.