Granbury council asks for written agreement, delays decision on Texas EMS station funding
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Summary
Texas EMS asked Granbury for fee waivers and assistance on a planned joint EMS/fire station; council asked for a written partnership agreement and postponed action until March 3 to allow staff and fire department to draft terms.
Texas EMS director Ricky Reeves outlined plans for three new combined EMS and fire stations around Granbury and asked the council for help waiving building permit and connection fees and for assistance with sprinkler and riser costs, which Reeves and staff estimated in the tens of thousands of dollars for connections and about $39,000 for certain components.
Reeves said the nonprofit has operated Hood County’s 9‑1‑1 EMS service since 2001, runs five full‑time ambulances and handled roughly 9,600 calls in the last year, and that the three proposed stations are intended to improve response times as the city grows. He said Texas EMS has already purchased steel for the three buildings and is aiming to complete all three by the end of the year.
Councilmembers asked several questions about long‑term ownership, operations, cost‑sharing with volunteer fire departments, and the need for a legally binding partnership that spells out responsibilities. Councilmember Wadley and staff said a formal agreement and a workshop including the fire department should precede final financial commitments; Tim Hallman, captain with the Granbury Volunteer Fire Department, said the department supports the station concept but agreed documentation is needed to clarify cost sharing.
Given outstanding questions about procurement, budget impacts and who pays for which elements of the facility, the council voted to postpone consideration of the city’s financial contribution and directed staff to draft an agreement; the item was re‑scheduled for the March 3 council meeting.
What the city may be asked to cover: Reeves detailed requests for waivers of building permit fees, water and sewer connection fees and assistance with required sprinkler systems and related vault/riser work. Staff estimated that engineering or connection costs could be in the range of tens of thousands of dollars per site (engineer estimate cited ~$39,000 for connections and sprinkler tie‑ins), and noted that funding such assistance would require a budget amendment from city reserves if approved.
Next step: Staff and the EMS group will meet with the council and the fire department to draft a partnership agreement and return the item to the council for a March 3 vote on terms and any financial assistance.
