County approves contracts with volunteer fire departments
Sep. 21—The Hunt County Commissioners Court has approved new contracts to provide double the financial assistance for the county's volunteer fire departments.
The departments now have a little more than three months to accept the agreements, or they will not receive anything from the county.
The commissioners announced the draft of the new agreements following a special session Monday morning. A formal vote on the agreements are expected during the next regular session of the commissioners court on Sept. 28.
The commissioners voted late in July to deny a petition which would have added a proposition to create an Emergency Services District for Hunt County on the November ballot.
Under a Fire Protection Agreement Contract between the commissioners' court and the members of the Hunt County Firefighters Association, each department receives a $2,400 monthly stipend from the county to assist with operating expenses.
The departments also receive a stipend from the Hunt Memorial Hospital District, but supporters of the ESD have said the payments don't come close to covering the expenses involved.
Hunt County Judge Bobby Stovall included a measure in the upcoming county budget to double the county's stipend with the departments to $4,800 a month, with the money coming from the county's fund balance and not from any additional tax, but only if the departments provide detailed reports on how the funds are spent.
Following an executive session which lasted about 90 minutes Tuesday, County Civil Attorney Daniel Ray said the new agreements would be forwarded to County Fire Marshal Richard Hill and then on to the individual departments.
"And then that would allow any of the departments who want to sign it to take action on it and then come back to the commissioners court for final approval," Ray said.
Under the measure, all current fire department contracts will expire on Jan. 1, 2022. Any fire department not accepting the new agreements would receive no stipends from the Hunt County Commissioners Court.
Precinct 1 Commissioner Mark Hutchins noted the goal was to reach agreements with the departments in time for the start of the next fiscal year on Oct. 1.
Stovall said the idea was to get the issue taken care of as soon as possible and to be fair with all of the departments.
"What we want to do is to get this thing settled, get ya'll some more money," Stovall said, adding that the county will continue to work with the departments who may have concerns about the agreements.
"Hopefully this money will help relieve some of ya'll's problems," he said.
Cash Fire Department Chief Ryan Biggers, who is the chairman of the Hunt County Firefighter's Association, attended Tuesday's meeting and said the departments appreciated the move from the commissioners.
