Wiegman said he will remain a volunteer firefighter as township weighs next steps for fire staffing plan
Fire Department of Montgomery Township Chief Bill Wiegman has announced his resignation effective Jan. 2, 2025, ending a leadership tenure that included guiding the department through a major transition toward expanded career staffing and a hybrid career-volunteer model.
"After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as fire chief," Wiegman wrote in an email to media and township officials on Wednesday afternoon. "This was a difficult decision, but it is best for my family and me. I am grateful for the commitment each of you shows on calls, in training, and in service to our community. You are all amazing people, and it has been my privilege to lead this excellent department."
Wiegman currently serves in a cluster of public safety roles for the township, including fire chief, chief fire marshal, emergency management coordinator and EMS coordinator. He said the township is expected to post the combined position and begin a search process following his departure.
“I assume the township will post the position of Fire Chief/Chief Fire Marshal/Emergency Management Coordinator/EMS Coordinator and conduct interviews with qualified candidates,” Wiegman said.
Wiegman said he will not continue in his municipal roles but plans to remain active with the Fire Department of Montgomery Township as a volunteer firefighter.
Wiegman joined the Fire Department of Montgomery Township in 2007 and previously served as volunteer fire chief from 2010 to 2013. He was appointed career fire chief in February 2020. His broader fire service career began in 1996 with the Lower Southampton Fire Department in Bucks County, where he advanced through the ranks to captain and training officer.
In recent months, Wiegman became the public face of Montgomery Township’s push to expand full-time fire staffing, citing response-time challenges and declining volunteer availability during overnight and weekday hours. That effort sparked public debate among township officials and residents, including discussions surrounding a dedicated fire tax and the role of outside consultants.
In September, Montgomery Township supervisors voted 3-2 to move ahead with Wiegman’s proposal to transition the township’s combination fire department into a fully staffed career operation by 2026. Dissenting votes were from Supervisors Tanya Bamford and Beth Staab.
Last month, township officials voted 3-2, with Bamford and Staab dissenting, to authorize an advertisement for an ordinance establishing a fire tax at a total 1.71 mills. The final vote on the fire tax and final budget will be Monday night.
The fire department currently has .56 mills allocated to it of the current real estate tax rate of 2.94 mills, resulting in budgeted revenue of $1.1 million, according to budget figures. The proposed fire tax would call for a 1.15 mill increase on top of the .56 millage, in order to hire 11 new full-time firefighters.
"I think a fire tax is smart," Bamford said at the November session. "My no vote is the 1.71 (mills)."
"I approve of the idea of a fire tax," said Staab at the meeting, "but I don't approve of the actual number in the fire tax."
Wiegman said the future of that expansion plan remains uncertain following recent board discussions.
“I do not know what will happen with the expansion proposal,” Wiegman said. “Board members stated at the last Board meeting, a couple of weeks ago, that they plan to reopen the budget at the first Board Meeting of 2026 and suspend the hiring of new firefighters until, at the very least, a comprehensive fire study is completed.”
Bamford thanked Wiegman for his service and reiterated her position on the need for independent analysis.
“I thank Chief Wiegman for his service to Montgomery Township and wish him great success in all of his future endeavors,” Bamford said.
“Speaking only for myself, I continue to believe that an independent assessment would be beneficial before any long-term staffing decisions are made for the fire department. Such a study would also give a new chief a solid baseline for planning the department’s future," she said.
Outgoing Democratic Supervisor Annette Long, who said her remarks reflected her personal views and not an official township position, believed Wiegman consistently demonstrated unwavering dedication to the safety and well-being of Montgomery Township’s residents, businesses, and firefighters. His recommendations, she said, were documented needs and operational realities.
"His leadership has been grounded in documented facts, sound operational judgment, and a clear understanding of the resources required to maintain an effective and reliable fire service. The data and needs assessments he has repeatedly presented to the Township reflect not personal opinion, but the objective realities of protecting a growing community," Long said.
"There is a troubling pattern in which factual information presented by the Chief was disregarded or misrepresented, while misleading narratives about the Chief, the Fire Department, and the FDMT circulated unchecked. Such disinformation undermines public trust and distracts from ensuring that our fire department has the leadership and support it needs to safeguard the Township," Long said.
She added, unfortunately, in this instance, political considerations appear to have overshadowed sound judgment and the best interests of the township, resulting in "the loss of a leader" and setting back "the safety and cohesion of our fire service."
Long's tenure ends at the end of the month, as she was defeated in the Democratic primary in May by Eric Pelletier, who was on the ballot alongside incumbent Staab.
Wiegman said he leaves the position proud of the department’s direction and culture, particularly the collaboration between career and volunteer members.
“There are so many things to be proud of, and we have done some fantastic things over the last couple of years,” he said. “I am super proud of our team for embracing the mission of being a true combination fire department where career and volunteer members work together in service to our wonderful community of Montgomery Township.”
He also reflected on the personal side of stepping away from the role.
“Most importantly, I am proud that my daughter told me that I will still be her hero, whether or not I am the Fire Chief,” Wiegman said.
Wiegman said he has been overwhelmed by messages of support since announcing his resignation.
“I have been humbled over the last 24 hours by the number of people who have reached out to me from all over to wish me well,” he said. “I am so very blessed to have had the opportunity to serve as the Fire Chief in Montgomery Township.”
Township Manager Carolyn McCreary and Supervisor Beth Staab did not respond to requests for comment as of press time.
