Weir volunteer firefighters want chief to resign

WEIR, Texas - A group of volunteer firefighters in Williamson County is demanding the resignation of their chief.

If he doesn't step down, members of the group say they will not respond to emergency calls after the first of the year.

No one was at the Williamson County ESD #6 fire station in Weir Friday afternoon and after the first of the year, when the emergency tone rings, many volunteer firefighters like Josh Ramirez may not show up.

"Wholeheartedly I don’t want it to come to that, and I'm stressing the urgency on this matter," said Rameriz.

Ramirez is one of 16 volunteer firefighters who signed a letter that was given to the ESD 6 board of directors as notification of a No Confidence vote in fire chief Charlie Frymire. He is accused of mismanagement and creating a hostile workplace.

The ESD 6 Board members on Thursday night pushed the matter to their next meeting in late January, despite the warning those 16 signees will not respond to call-outs as of January 1. 

When asked if he thinks the Board is trying to call their bluff, Ramirez replied, "I do, at this point I do."

ESD 6 has an active roster of about 30 firefighters, and all are volunteers except the Chief and Assistant Chief. A phone call to the ESD 6 office Friday went to voicemail. 

If a New Year hold out happens, residents in Weir may have to rely on other nearby fire departments for coverage. The closest and the largest are in Georgetown and Jarrell.

"I hope they iron their problems out and if a new Chief is needed, well they get a new Chief, but I like the Chief that’s on that now," said Weir resident Katie Bailey.

Williamson County Commissioners also received a copy of the No Confidence letter, because they appoint members to Emergency Service Districts boards. The group of disgruntled volunteers now want county leaders to intervene.

"It’s urgent, this needs to be heard, we would like support, and hearing us out, and resolving this as soon as possible," said Ramirez.