Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Tomball Council OKs SAFER grant application to add six firefighters
Loading...
Summary
The Tomball City Council unanimously authorized the city manager to execute documents to apply for a FEMA SAFER grant that would fund six firefighter positions to bring two stations to four-member staffing if awarded.
Tomball — The Tomball City Council on June 16 unanimously authorized the city manager to execute documents to apply for a FEMA Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant that, if awarded, would fund six firefighter positions to raise staffing at two stations to four members per shift.
The authorization, approved 5-0, does not guarantee the grant award; council members and staff said the city would return to council for formal acceptance and budget incorporation if the grant is received. The anticipated award date the presenter gave was Aug. 18, with work to be completed no later than Sept. 30.
Chief Jake, Tomball’s fire chief, told the council the department would use the SAFER award to add three positions assigned to Firehouse 2 (city-owned) and three to Firehouse 5 (within the Emergency Service District), bringing each station from three-member to four-member staffing on every shift. “So the goal is to essentially allow fire departments to bring their staffing numbers up,” Chief Jake said, adding the grant is structured to support that change while the city phases in ongoing costs.
Staff presented the grant’s cost-sharing schedule as part of the council briefing: the presenter said the federal share would cover 75% of salary costs in years one and two, with the city responsible for 25% in those years; later-year shares were described as flipping (presenters described a larger local share in a final year). Staff provided estimated city matches of roughly $145,902 in year one, $153,278 in year two and $418,732 in year three before reimbursement splits with the ESD. With the ESD’s reimbursement for positions assigned to ESD stations, staff said the city’s effective outlay would be about $72,951 in year one and $76,639 in year two; staff characterized those figures as estimates.
An ESD representative — the presenter said the ESD met last Thursday — had preapproved the cost-share arrangement contingent on council approval. Chief Jake emphasized that the city could not apply for the grant if the six positions were already fully funded in the budget; instead, staff intends to apply now and, if awarded, bring back a budget amendment for formal incorporation. “This doesn’t guarantee that we’ll get the grant,” a councilmember said during discussion; Chief Jake confirmed that any award would be presented to council for final approval.
Council discussion focused on budget timing and the city’s plan to “grow into” the recurring costs if the grant is not awarded. The presenter noted the city’s fiscal year and budget effective date (Oct. 1) in explaining how any award would be folded into the budget process.
The motion authorized the city manager to execute the necessary documents to apply for and pursue the SAFER grant. The council vote was 5-0 in favor.
