Plano council extends line-of-duty leave for firefighter injured during 2024 response

The Plano City Council voted to extend paid line-of-duty leave for firefighter Brian Shelton, who sustained a shoulder injury while carrying hose during a January 2024 response and subsequently underwent multiple surgeries.

City staff described Shelton’s medical timeline to the council, saying his first shoulder surgery was on March 22, 2024; a second was on Sept. 25, 2024; and a third on Feb. 5, 2025. Staff said the city had provided full pay for Shelton for the first year after the initial surgery and requested council approval to extend full pay for an additional year under applicable civil service and local government authority.

The request cited “civil service, 01/1973” and Local Government Code 143.073 as the bases staff relied on in recommending the extension. Councilmembers made a motion, a second was recorded and the council took a hand vote on the extension; the motion was approved and Shelton’s leave was extended. No roll-call tally was given in the transcript.

Mayor John Muns and other council members offered brief well-wishes on the record. The council then moved on to the next agenda item.

The extension preserves full city pay for Shelton for a second year beyond the initial 12 months of full pay following his first shoulder surgery, under the civil service and local government code provisions staff cited. Staff told the council the additional year is intended to make up the portion between workers’ compensation and full salary for that second year, per the local rules referenced.

No amendments or conditions were recorded in the meeting minutes for the approval, and no specific implementation tasks or follow-up dates were assigned at the public meeting.

Next steps: staff did not state an implementation date beyond the usual payroll processes; council discussion ended with the vote approving the extension.