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Kerr County advances plan for part‑time contracted fire marshal as residents urge limits on scope
Summary
The Kerr County Commissioners Court agreed to move forward with contracting a part‑time fire marshal focused on new commercial projects but paused formal fee adoption after residents warned the role could expand county regulatory reach and impose inspection fees during recovery.
KERR COUNTY — The Kerr County Commissioners Court moved forward March 9 with steps to contract a part‑time fire marshal intended to address public‑safety concerns tied to high‑risk developments, while delaying formal adoption of a permit fee schedule after public concern about regulatory overreach.
Residents and commissioners spent more than an hour on the topic as the county tries to balance safety oversight with recovery needs after last summer's floods. Jeremy Walter of Precinct 2, who identified himself during public comment, told the court that "once a fire marshall is in place, the county becomes accountable to the state fire marshall's office," and warned that inspection and fee schedules could impose new economic hurdles on businesses and summer camps still rebuilding.
Court members said that concern has been part of repeated workshops since December and that the court engaged outside counsel to shape a narrowly tailored contract. The court indicated the marshal’s duties would be limited in scope and focused primarily on new commercial projects and potentially hazardous components rather than broad, countywide inspections. Commissioners asked that the draft fee schedule—modeled on Kendall County’s template with redlines to remove nonapplicable items—be reviewed by the county attorney before any formal vote.
Commissioners emphasized the intent to target regulatory tools specifically to emerging risks such as battery energy storage sites and transmission‑line impacts, not to create new recurring costs for existing small businesses or recovery projects. One commissioner urged staff to publish clearer public guidance so residents and business owners are not surprised by permit listings online.
Next steps: the court asked staff to share the redlined fee schedule with the county attorney for legal review and to return the item for formal action at a future session once counsel has advised on the legal triggers and permissible scope.
The discussion concluded without a final vote on fees or permit language; the court has already authorized contracting steps and will return to fee adoption in a later meeting.
