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Council approves funding direction for joint departments; debate over timing of new fire division chief and parks fund balance
Summary
Councilors endorsed joint-department direction including funding a fire division chief position, but debated delaying the start date to save part-year salary. Councilors also prioritized returning parks fund balance to town/county and recommended prioritizing Fill Box Park equipment replacement while phasing Karnes Meadow work pending river-management accounting clarifications.
The council discussed joint departments and capital priorities for FY27, including a proposed fire division chief and multiple parks and recreation projects.
Town Manager Tyler Sinclair said the joint-department summary—intended to be reported at the June 1 joint meeting with the county—would fund the fire division chief position and a parks and recreation public-engagement position, among other items. Councilor Schechter proposed delaying authorization of the new division chief until Jan. 1 to save roughly $43,377 in the first year; he argued the reduced utility of the post for the current season made a delayed start reasonable.
Fire Chief Mike McGuire explained the position's workload is roughly 75% training and 25% wildland coordination and said hiring for that class of position requires several weeks to months for posting, testing, and selection. The chief said a July 1 start would still involve a ramp-up; councilors worried a January start might still require similar hiring time but would reduce first-year cost.
On parks and recreation capital, staff noted the county had not recommended two projects (Karnes Meadow improvements and Fill Box Park) so they were not included by default in county budgets; the town could choose to fund them with its share of fund balance. Sinclair said river-management revenues of roughly $1.4–$1.8 million had been placed in the Parks & Rec Reserve by the county, which, if earmarked, would reduce funds available for other parks projects. Several councilors urged the town to request its share of fund balance and prioritize replacement playground equipment at Fill Box Park while phasing Karnes Meadow work until river-management accounting is clarified.
The council did not adopt a final decision on the fire position start date or on the park projects, but staff said they would report fund-balance computations and possible phased approaches at the next meetings so the council could finalize funding decisions.
