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Firefighters association and family members urge council to name Interim Chief Chris Inslee permanent, cite staffing and pay concerns
Summary
Rowlett firefighters' union and family members urged the council to appoint interim Chief Chris Inslee permanently and called attention to leadership vacancies, morale improvements under Inslee and compensation shortfalls relative to comparable cities.
Speakers in citizen input urged the council to stabilize leadership and improve support for the Rowlett Fire Department.
Josh Brock, president of the Rowlett Firefighters Association, said he spoke for 104 firefighters and criticized how the promotional process treated Chief Chris Inslee. He said, “We want interim chief Chris Inslee as our permanent fire chief,” and argued that the department’s morale and focus improved under Inslee’s interim leadership. Brock framed the promotional list as a legal process that should not be overridden by preferences, and he said the membership had voted unanimously in support of Inslee.
Elaine Ritchie, whose husband is a Rowlett firefighter paramedic, described staffing gaps and compensation pressure: she said the department has experienced vacancies in key leadership roles and that pay has fallen toward the lower quartile compared with 19 comparable cities. Ritchie asked the council to do more to support firefighters’ mental-health resources, facilities maintenance and competitive pay.
Council did not take formal personnel action during citizen input. The comments put leadership stability and staffing levels squarely on the public record and are likely to be relevant during future personnel or budget deliberations.
