Leander talks reclassifying seven lieutenants to captains; city and union to draft transition plan

Leander fire officials and the Leander Professional Firefighter Association discussed a proposal to reclassify seven lieutenant positions to captains and agreed to draft contract language and a transition timeline aimed at implementing the change in January–February.

The proposal, presented by the union bargaining team, would create three truck‑captain positions at Station 1 plus one station captain each at Stations 2, 3, 4 and 5 (seven reclassifications total). The association said the change is intended to create an intermediate promotional step between lieutenant and battalion positions and to provide more capacity for administrative and specialty duties.

Why it matters: Reclassifying existing positions would alter pay and internal staffing; city staff estimated the base payroll cost at just under $90,000 annually and full “fully loaded” cost (including retirement and benefits) at about 30% higher — roughly $117,000 per year. Because the change is a reclassification rather than creation of new headcount, the parties discussed civil‑service procedures (existing promotion lists, notice periods and test schedules) that could delay the effective date. Participants agreed that careful contract language is needed to coordinate reclassification with civil‑service rules and avoid unintended personnel disruptions.

What the parties proposed and discussed - Union proposal: The association asked to reclassify seven lieutenant slots to captains so the department would have three truck captains at Station 1 and one station captain at each of Stations 2–5. The association framed the change as adding a promotional step and spreading administrative and specialty duties across more officers. - City fiscal estimate: City staff said the $90,000 figure cited by the union reflects a straight base‑pay comparison and does not include payroll taxes and retirement; staff estimated those additional costs at around 30% on top of base pay. City staff said the partial‑year fiscal impact if positions became effective early in the calendar year would be lower (an estimate cited in the meeting was roughly $70,000 for the current fiscal year if effective in February). - Civil‑service constraints and timing: Participants noted Leander must exhaust any existing captain eligibility list, provide required notice for promotional testing, and follow civil‑service handling of promotion lists and vacancies. That process, along with scheduling of apparatus procurement (noted as long lead times for ladder trucks), influenced the parties’ preference for a January–February effective date rather than an October 1 start. - Implementation mechanics: The city and the association agreed to draft transition language that could function as a temporary, contractually authorized approach to reclassification and promotion. That language would specify testing timelines, exhaustion of current lists, notice periods and contingencies if there are not enough qualified candidates to fill all reclassifications at once.

Quotes from the session - “This would assign captains to the truck for all three shifts, and then one station captain for the other stations, adding up to seven total positions for reclassification,” the Union Representative said when outlining the proposal. - “Cost‑wise with the seven captains, it comes out to just under $90,000 annually,” City Finance staff (Chu) said, adding that figure was base pay only and that benefits and retirement would raise the fully loaded cost. - “We would need to get with legal to find out how exactly we have to do the reclass per civil service,” the Fire Chief said, describing existing promotion lists and the need to exhaust them before new testing.

Outstanding items, next steps and staff direction - Draft contract language: City staff and union negotiators agreed to draft transition language that would (a) define the reclassification process, (b) set a testing and promotion timeline that works with civil‑service rules, and (c) include contingency steps if current captain lists are exhausted or if fewer members qualify to promote immediately. - Target implementation window: Participants said the earliest feasible implementation would likely be January–February, with the parties aiming to identify a test date and an effect date to avoid triggering unwanted clocks under civil‑service rules. - Fiscal follow‑up: City finance staff will finalize fully loaded cost estimates and the likely partial‑year fiscal impact to support budgeting decisions; the union and city agreed to consider phasing or budget timing when finalizing language. - Return to bargaining: The parties agreed to present the drafted language at the next bargaining session and to circulate it to membership and relevant city departments (human resources/legal/payroll) before formal tentative agreement.

Context and constraints - Civil‑service requirements: Multiple speakers highlighted that civil‑service promotion lists and notice requirements (posted test notices, existing lists) will govern how and when incumbents can be promoted; the parties discussed using contract language to create a temporary transition process but acknowledged legal review is required. - Operational planning: The department noted long lead times for apparatus (a ladder truck delivery timeline was cited during the meeting) and said the reclassification was intended to create an adaptable staffing pool as new units and stations come online. - Fiscal tradeoffs: City staff flagged that the quoted base‑pay figure does not capture payroll taxes, benefit load or overtime effects. The parties discussed partial‑year budget impacts if reclassifications were effective mid‑fiscal year.

What was not decided No formal vote or final agreement was recorded in the transcript. The parties agreed to draft and circulate language and to reconvene with the draft at the next meeting; they also left open the timing of budget appropriation and any civil‑service notices that must precede promotions.

Ending City and union negotiators signaled they were conceptually aligned on the reclassification approach and committed to producing a written transition plan and contract language for review at the next bargaining session. The agreement on next steps sets the item to return to the table for formal tentative agreement once legal, HR and fiscal details are finalized.