The North Brookfield Board of Selectmen on Dec. 2 accepted the resignation of Fire Chief Darren Anderson, effective Nov. 18, 2025, and approved interim appointments to maintain leadership in the department.

Chair read Chief Darren Anderson’s resignation letter, which said, “Iam resigning from the position of chief in the North Brookfield Fire Department effective today, 11/18/2025. Respectfully, Darren Anderson.” The board moved to accept the resignation, and the motion carried after members said “Aye.”

To ensure continuity, the board approved interim leadership appointments for up to six months: Keith Marshall as interim fire chief, Thomas Bessette as deputy chief, and Don Mailing as assistant fire chief. The chair framed the interim period as a time to work with the officers to ensure they are comfortable in their expanded duties; board members expressed appreciation for the officers stepping up. “It's quite a loss,” one member said about Chief Anderson’s departure.

No timeline for a permanent appointment was set at the meeting. The board also noted that captain appointments would be handled by the department’s engineers and would not be decided at this session.

Next steps: the interim assignments will remain in place for up to six months while officials and staff manage the department’s operations and any further personnel decisions.