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Police, fire ask Ennis commission for more staff, equipment and funds to fix public-safety facility
Summary
Police Chief Dustin Munn and Fire Chief Bill Evans told the commission the departments are under-staffed and that the public safety facility has water and foundation problems; chiefs requested multiple staff increases, equipment and an estimated remediation budget to be considered in upcoming financing plans.
Police Chief Dustin Munn told the commission the department needs more sworn staff to meet the city’s growth and response expectations. "We do feel that right now we need 8 additional officers," Munn said, adding that 12 officers would be required to meet population-based targets. He also requested a recurring lieutenant position for professional standards, new computers, batteries for handheld radios and other recurring equipment support.
Munn and staff flagged long-standing water infiltration and foundation issues at the public safety facility and said earlier assessments (circa 2021) were insufficient to address root problems. "Back at the end of 2021, we received an estimate of $443,000... the situation has exacerbated itself," Munn said; staff and management proposed setting aside up to $1,000,000 as a working figure to fund a remediation project through a certificate of obligation.
Fire Chief Bill Evans presented fire-department needs including a fire inspector position to manage a high volume of commercial inspections, replacement of an aging brush truck, replacement of cardiac monitors and completion of the 1927 La France ladder-truck restoration. Evans said the restoration is near complete but roughly $70,500 short of funds needed to finish work by the Texas Fire Museum.
City Manager Andrea and Finance Director Stanley agreed the public-safety facility requires further engineering assessment and stressed that precise remediation costs must come from structural analysis before permanent funding commitments. Commissioners requested staff obtain detailed engineering scopes and cost estimates and return with prioritized requests that align with available general-fund capacity or bond proceeds.
The commission did not adopt a final remediation contract or direct immediate appropriation during the workshop; it asked staff to include facility analyses and prioritized staffing and equipment requests in the budget follow-up materials.
