Devine hires fire department to run code enforcement under $110,000 master agreement

The Devine City Council approved a Master Service Agreement on July 16 transferring administration of the city's code enforcement program to the Devine Fire Department.

City Administrator David L. Jordan told the council the city's single code enforcement employee had left and recommended the change to keep permit tracking, inspections and compliance monitoring current. Fire Chief Atkinson outlined how the Fire Department would staff the work, track permits and inspections, and report on compliance activity.

Council members discussed the proposed annual payment to the fire department, which Jordan and council members described during the meeting as $110,000 for the services. On a motion by Alderman Jeff Miller, seconded by Alderman Michael Hernandez, the council approved the agreement unanimously.

The contract shifts operational responsibility from city staff to the Fire Department; council members said those staffing and tracking systems would be closely monitored as the program begins. The agreement will be administered under terms discussed at the meeting and tracked in subsequent council reports.

The council did not set an immediate implementation date in the meeting minutes; follow-up reporting and budget entries were identified as next steps.