KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) A trio of former Keene Fire Department employees has filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Keene, its former fire chief, and the current city manager, alleging a wide-ranging pattern of retaliation, workplace discrimination, and administrative failures.

The case, filed in Cheshire Superior Court on May 14, involves plaintiffs Steven Dumont Sr., Michael Abbott and Christopher Staples. All three men, each with years of service in the department, claim they were subjected to harassment, age and gender discrimination, wrongful termination or constructive discharge and retaliation after raising concerns about department leadership and code enforcement practices.

The lawsuit names the city, City Manager Elizabeth Ferland (formerly Dragon), and former Fire Chief Donald Farquhar as defendants. According to court filings, the plaintiffs allege that their careers were derailed after they reported misconduct by Farquhar, who led the department from April 2022 until his resignation in April 2024.

Among the claims are accusations that Farquhar fostered a hostile work environment by making inappropriate comments, threatening staff, and targeting older employees. The complaint also alleges he manipulated enforcement of fire codes, shielding politically connected property owners from scrutiny while aggressively targeting others.

The plaintiffs further contend that Ferland was made aware of these issues but declined to take action, enabling the misconduct to continue. They allege the city failed to provide adequate oversight and even allowed Farquhar unmonitored access to city files during his departure, which they claim led to the unauthorized removal of confidential documents.

Two of the men—Dumont and Staples—say they were either fired or forced out. Abbott, meanwhile, retired shortly after Farquhar stepped down. The plaintiffs are seeking damages for lost wages, emotional and physical harm, medical expenses, reputational damage, and legal costs. They have requested a jury trial and are pursuing claims under both state and federal law, including New Hampshire’s whistleblower and anti-discrimination statutes.

The lawsuit follows an earlier arbitration involving Dumont, in which the city was ordered to reinstate him and pay roughly $100,000 in back wages. That matter ended in a March 2025 settlement in which Dumont received about $200,000 and formally separated from city employment.

In response to the current complaint, attorneys representing the city have moved to dismiss several of the counts and filed general denials or said more information was needed to respond to specific allegations.