The Haslet City Council approved a one‑time market adjustment of 30% for the fire department during its Dec. 19 special meeting, following extended discussion about budget projections, shared cost accounting and alternatives to implementing large, immediate raises for all staff.

Staff presented a proposal that had originally included a one‑time 30% increase for fire personnel and a one‑time 14% increase for other city staff (administration, public works, library). Staff and the finance director warned that the larger, combined proposal would materially reduce the city’s reserve and — according to projections presented at the meeting — could drive the reserve to zero by the first quarter of 2029.

Councilmembers debated several options: prioritizing firefighters (whose pay was reported in staff materials to be materially below the regional median), phasing increases across multiple years, or reducing the percentage for non‑fire staff. There was also detailed discussion about accounting treatment for public works employees who have shared funding with the water and sewer enterprise fund; council questioned whether all relevant revenue streams were incorporated into the presented projections.

Ultimately a councilmember moved to approve a one‑time 30% increase for the entire fire department only (to be paid in addition to a previously budgeted 6% market adjustment). The motion was seconded, and the clerk recorded a majority vote in favor with two members opposed. The meeting record shows the motion passed and the council budget officer and finance staff were asked to reflect the change in the city’s budget documents.

Ending: The council approved the fire department market adjustment and left broader, city‑wide raises for future deliberation pending additional data (salary survey/professional benchmarking) and budgetary review.