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Rowlett firefighters say hiring process was tainted; call on council for answers
Summary
Members of the Rowlett Firefighters Association told the council that changes to the fire chief hiring process and recent personnel moves have eroded trust; residents backed the department at a packed meeting and the council heard calls to pause controversial personnel decisions.
A unified statement from the Rowlett Firefighters Association and more than a dozen residents at the city council meeting on May 5 accused city management of mishandling the hiring process for the next fire chief and of taking personnel actions that damaged morale.
"Tonight, I speak on behalf of 100% of the firefighters in this department," Josh Rock, president of the Rowlett Firefighters Association, told the council, saying the department had previously participated in a nationwide search with more than 50 applicants and that the process was later restructured by interim city management. He said candidates were pulled from the original pool and at least one person who had not applied was inserted into the process. "The rules changed, the candidate pool changed, the standards changed," he said, adding that those actions left the association concerned the selection had the appearance of a predetermined outcome.
Residents who followed Rock amplified those concerns. "This culture wasn't built or broken by accident," Shelby Coleman said, urging council to lead a culture reset and to publicly acknowledge when trust has been strained. Elaine Ritchie, whose husband is a Rowlett firefighter, described staffing and compensation problems and said the department's mental-health supports and basic station facilities had deteriorated.
Speakers criticized the interim city manager's dismissal of the emergency management coordinator and the removal of an interim chief they said was broadly supported. Several called for a pause on major personnel and contracting decisions until the incoming council can review them.
City officials did not take formal action on personnel matters during the meeting. The council listened to the testimony and allowed multiple residents and firefighters to make their case in the citizens input period; the meeting continued into regular business after a brief recess.
Why it matters: The accusations involve municipal hiring practices and leadership changes that residents and department members say affect public-safety operations and morale. Council members and city staff will decide whether to initiate internal review, mediation, or other corrective steps in the coming weeks.
What's next: Several speakers asked the council to pursue transparency measures and to consider pausing major personnel decisions until the newly seated council members take office. The meeting record shows no vote or formal resolution tied to the complaints at this session.
