The captain, treasurer and secretary of each company and the chief of the department shall constitute a board of officers, whose duty shall be to settle all disputes in the department, to organize new companies, with the consent of the council, at the recommendation of the chief, and designate who shall be charter members of the same; to investigate charges made against any company thereof and to expel any company or member thereof from the department. The chief shall be the presiding officer at the meetings of the board.