Gatesville, Coryell County discuss paid fire chief, $1.1M engine and ongoing grant funding

CORYELL COUNTY — Gatesville city and Coryell County officials discussed at a county budget workshop a proposal to move the Gatesville volunteer fire chief role to a paid city employee who would also serve as a county fire marshal, and to share the cost of replacing an aging fire engine.

The city manager said the city would propose paying roughly half the salary and all benefits for a new chief, with the county asked to contribute up to $50,000 toward the salary; the new position’s market salary was estimated at $100,000–$110,000. The city has set aside $550,000 toward a new fire engine that officials said would cost about $1,100,000 if ordered now.

Why it matters: Gatesville’s volunteer model handles most local calls at low cost to taxpayers, officials said, but aging equipment and rising commercial chassis prices are pushing leaders to consider a hybrid or partially paid model and to lock in vehicle orders now because…