Odessa approves one-year interlocal agreements with Ector County emergency service districts, seeks clearer insurance terms

Odessa — The Odessa City Council approved interlocal agreements with Ector County Emergency Service District (ESD) No. 1 and ESD No. 2 directing Odessa Fire Rescue to provide fire and emergency response services in the districts effective Oct. 1. Both motions authorized the mayor to approve minor revisions to the agreements so long as the intent remains unchanged.

The agreements are one-year contracts designed to allow the city and the new political subdivisions to begin operations while staff and council finalize longer-term details. City staff told council the ESDs expect to adopt their budgets effective Oct. 1 and begin tax collection Jan. 1.

Why it matters: The fire department said it already makes a substantial number of runs in the ESD boundaries and the agreements determine how the city will be compensated and insured when responding outside city limits.

Details and council concerns

City staff noted Odessa Fire Rescue made 21,796 runs in 2024, including 4,789 runs inside the ESD boundaries — “over 21%,” staff said. The proposed agreement lasts one year; staff and council described that term as intentional to allow time for negotiation on insurance, equipment coverage and employee protections.

Council members pressed for explicit insurance protections. Councilman Thompson and other members said the city should be named as an additional insured under the ESDs’ policies and that equipment and workers’ compensation coverage must be clarified in the contract. City Attorney Keith Strecker said the Texas statute (section 791.006a referenced during discussion) assigns civil liability to the emergency service district but added that contract language must define coverage and expectations for the city’s equipment and personnel.

Motions and votes

- ESD No. 1: Motion to approve the interlocal agreement with authority for the mayor to make minor modifications; motion carried unanimously. - ESD No. 2: Identical agreement and motion; carried unanimously.

Council direction and next steps

Council gave the mayor conditional authority to finalize minor adjustments, and directed risk-management staff to confirm the city is named as an additional insured and that workers’ compensation and equipment loss are addressed. Staff said they will return to council if material contract changes are necessary.

Ending

Council members said the one-year agreement provides necessary coverage as the ESDs begin collecting taxes and operating, while leaving the city room to finalize insurance and liability protections.