Fire District Chief Restored
With A Months Long Investigation Completed, Fire Operations Once Again Has Leadership
FIRE CHIEF RESTORED ARTICLE CORRECTION: The Mount Holly Reporter did not have access to investigation documents issued or speak with Mr. Mason. Article wording about investigative findings are 2nd hand from other well placed individuals.
Tom Mason has decades of fire service experience and was given both the Fire Marshall and Fire Chief jobs for Mount Holly Fire District in 2024. But since a complaint was lodged against him in October 2025 for inappropriate language, he has been forced to sit idle while hired investigators interviewed tens of staff members in search of the truth.
So here we are, thousands and dollars in investigation fees and nearly five months later - and we have an answer. Mr. Mason was guilty of using rough language in a fire house. He was told to stop doing that and get back to work.
This should solve much of the operational dysfunction that has plagued Mount Holly’s Fire District since November when the elected Commissioners, who have no operational experience, have lead day to day operations.
But just as it looked like the fire district would gain stable footing, the Mount Holly Reporter has gotten word of an new effort to completely change who runs the fire department:
Mount Holly fire-fighter Eric Johnson announced plans to circulate a petition intended to dissolve the fire district. Mr. Johnson, who said his experience in Mount Holly is as a paid “duty crew” member over the last six months, has apparently begun the process of circulating that petition which would put a measure on the ballot to give administration of the Fire District to Mount Holly Township. If approved, the fire district would be just another part of municipal government, like public works. The Board of Commissioners would be swept away and in its place would be township manager Josh Brown.
The Reporter has an in depth interview with Mr. Johnson planned for this Friday. The aim is to better understand his assessment of problems with the current fire district administration and operations, and how giving that to Manager Brown and Town Council will solve those problems. Stay tuned.
