11/03/1998SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FIRE SERVICE COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 3, 1998
The Fire Service Committee met in special session, Tuesday, November 3, 1998,
5:00 P. M., Fire Station No. 1, Training Room. Chairman Alan R. Boyd called
the meeting to order with the following members present: Mayor Pro Tem Jerry
L. Thomas, Dr. Joe Deupree, Marshall Kent, Jr., Kenneth Webb, and Gina
Walker. Also present was City Manager Michael E. Malone, City Attorney
Scott P. Foster, Fire Chief Steve Burgin, City Engineer Earl Smith, and City
Clerk Mattie Cunningham.
Chairman Boyd said that when plans were made to build Fire Station No. 1, it
was basically a two phase project that was going to be done. Phase One was to
close Central Fire Station and build Fire Station No. 1, move it out more
towards the north in order to cover areas that were not receiving adequate
coverage while the City did not leave the downtown area without good
coverage. After some thought and looking at different sites, this site was
chosen. Chairman Boyd said the City now had adequate protection for
MCCuistion Hospital, the nursing homes, Campbell Soup, and the different
industries on the Loop and the City is still able to have good response time to
the downtown area. Chairman Boyd said at the time the decision was made, it
would be leaving some areas in the southern portions of the City with not as
good of coverage as other areas. It was the plan at that time to start Phase Two
where the City would look at closing down the East Side Fire Station and
splitting that station into two stations by moving one out further to the east, and
coming back to the south and building a station to cover that area. Chairman
Boyd informed the Committee that it is felt that the West Side Fire Station is
still adequately located to serve the needs of that area. Chairman Boyd said
what has been done is to order two new fire trucks. It takes approximately a year
from the time they are ordered to receive them and those two trucks were
ordered with the idea in mind that these two stations would be built. Chairman
Boyd said the purpose of forming this Committee is to make sure that the City
is heading in the right direction and to get input from the Committee in order to
make recommendations to the City Council whether to go forward with this
project and if so, how that could be accomplished.
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November 3, 1998
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Deputy Fire Chief Steve Neece presented a slide presentation giving a history
of the fire stations in the City bringing the Committee forward to the present.
Mr. Neece said the proposal calls for hiring six additional firefighters for a
minimum of three men per engine. Phase Two of the plan is to move the east
side substation to the northeast portion of Loop 286 and construct another
substation near the southeast portion of Loop 286 which would boost the
coverage in the southern part of the City. This would give the City a station on
the south side of the railroad tracks even though there is not much concern now,
but they will still have a major access route that can be blocked by a train. Mr.
Neece said this would allow them to maintain major thoroughfares, be able to
move north, south, east and west, be able to have direct access back into the
heart of the City along with having quick access to the major thoroughfares to
the outlying areas of the City. He pointed out that there are gaps, but the goal
is to cover the majority of the built upon area within the zones and to maintain
quick responses. The locations of the stations are based on where they feel
response could be made quickly to all areas of the City, provide even coverage
for all residents, maintain a three minute response to businesses, and a five
minute response to residences. Mr. Neece said the steps to Phase Two are to
order the engines and which are currently on order, scheduled for delivery in
December, acquire the station sites that have been identified, hire additional
firefighters for the January Fire Academy at Texas A & M in Commerce, build
the northeast and southeast stations, and budget for the three additional
firefighters late this budget year or the next budget year to complete the staffing
requirements. Mr. Neece presented a proposed floor plan for the fire stations
which consists of approximately 6,000 square feet, three bay all pull - through
design, living quarters for six people which could accommodate an engine
company of four men and an ambulance or a squad company of two men. He
said the reason for this is they do not want to come up in twenty years where we
are now with the east and west station being undersized and inadequate.
Mr. Neece discussed the change in insurance rating by the State in relation to
the type of fire protection provided and the effect it has on the cost associated
with the new rating with the Committee.
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November 3, 1998
Page 3
Dr. Deupree was concerned with the taxpayers cost for the two substations as
well as the conditions of the roads and whether the trucks can go down 47"`
Street S. E. along with the availability of water to his area.
City Manager Malone said that a water system is going to have to be installed
and it is going to have to meet the City standard and the City standard would be
sufficient to uphold the capacity of the pumps because it all works together as
a system. City Manager Malone advised that there are changes about to made,
based upon the City Council decision, to the Pro Rata Ordinance and the project
would be started and that system would be taken care of.
Fire Chief Steve Burgin said they try to give everyone in the City of Paris a high
level of service and pointed out that one of the problems is the growth shift or
pattern in the City along with the newly annexed areas and this project has been
established by the Fire Department in order to provide the quality of service
needed to protect the City as a whole.
Mr. Neece said the northeast station is proposed to be placed somewhere along
Pine Mill Road outside Loop 286 and the southeast station proposed location is
the Paris Jr. College area. Each location has been researched but it will depend
on the availability and the cost of the land, but that is the general area. Mr.
Neece said one goal is to maintain an area within five miles of all the residents
in Paris.
City Manager Malone told the Committee that in presenting the budget there
was $700,000.00 budgeted for building the two fire stations based on estimates
of building two stations in house with the City acting as its own contractor.
Station No. 1 was built for $37.00 a square foot. It is a steel structure, brick
veneer with a metal roof and it is a well built building. City Manager Malone
pointed out that the new Cox Field Airport Terminal building is a stick built
structure, brick veneer -metal roof and its cost was over $85.00 a square foot bid
out. City Manager Malone said after the budget was approved a loan program
was found through the U.S.D.A. for community facilities at an interest rate of
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November 3, 1998
Page 4
4% to 5% and possibly lower with a payout of 40 years. City Manager Malone
said the project would have to be bid out according to the way they operate their
program and the City Council has authorized that an application be made for this
loan. City Manager Malone said through the pre - application process, the sites
will have to be identified so there is a need to procure two sites. City Manager
Malone said in the budget there is provision for hiring six additional firefighters
which is six of the nine that will be needed to fill the personnel requirements for
the fourth station. City Manager Malone advised that the firefighters are hired
through the Civil Service process which requires testing and the current list that
the City has, will expire, and the new test is about to be given. It is hoped
between that the time the test is given which is December 1, 1998 and January,
that we will generate a new list and be able to hire six new firefighters from that
list and enroll them in the school. Places are being held but we are reluctant to
hire six additional firefighters until we have a clear decision.
After further discussion, a motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Thomas to
recommend to the City Council that City Staff start looking at sites for location
of the fire stations and application for the loan through the U. S. Department of
Agriculture be made for the one and one -half million dollars and the hiring of
the six firefighters. The motion was seconded by Kenneth Webb and carried 6
ayes, 0 nays.
Mayor Pro TeTn. Thomas pointed out that it appears that the south side of the
City is exposed and it needs to be covered. Mayor Pro Tem Thomas said he
would support building one substation in the southeast section of the City.
A motion was made by Kenneth Webb to recommend to the City Council that
the two fire stations be built. The motion was seconded by Gina Walker, and
carried 4 ayes, 2 nay, Mayor Pro Tem Thomas and Marshall Kent voting no.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
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November 3, 1998
Page 5
ATTEST:
MATTIE CUNNINGHAM, CITY CLERK