20-RANK NAME CHANGES AND ADDITION OF THREE DRIVER ENGINEERSItem No. 20.
Me�no�andum
TO: City Council
John Godwin, City Manager
FROM: Larry Wright, Fire Chief
SUBJECT: RANK NAME CHANGES AND THE ADDITION OF THREE
DRIVER ENGINEERS.
DATE: January 30, 2013
BACKGROUND: When the Fire Department was formed in 1908 as a full time Department, the
Firefighters were assigned the titles of Engineer for the person in charge and Fire Driver for the
person who drove the team of horses. These titles have been used ever since, even after
motorized equipment began being utilized and are listed as such in the Local Rules of the City of
Paris Civil Service Commission. These particular names are no longer recognized in the Fire
Service and making it difficult to compare job responsibilities, pay scales, etc. with other Fire
Departments. I am requesting title changes to reflect the current titles used by all Fire
Departments. I request that the title of Engineer be changed to Fire Captain and that the title of
Fire Driver be changed to Driver Engineer.
In addition, the Fire Department lacks enough Driver Engineer positions to staff all apparatus
with one Driver Engineer. Currently we are requiring a Firefighter to "step-up" to a Driver
Engineer position without compensation for the responsibilities associated with that position. To
eliminate this disparity and to compensate that person for the increased responsibility of driving,
pumping and maintaining an apparatus, I am requesting that we be allowed to create and test for
three additional Driver Engineers to fulfill that position on every apparatus. These positions
would be taken from the ranks of the existing Firefighters with no additional hiring needed.
STATUS OF ISSUE: On January 30, 2013, the Civil Service Commission approved the title
changes as mentioned above. If approved by City Council, these changes will go into effect on
the dates noted in the Ordinance and, if approved by City Council, a test date will be posted for a
Driver Engineer exam.
BUDGET: No budget increase will be required for either change. The cost increase to promote
three Driver Engineers from the rank of Firefighter will cost an additional $1700.00 to $2,000.00
which can be absorbed in the current budget.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve the ordinance allowing for the title changes and the promotion
of three current frefighters to the rank of Driver Engineer.
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS,
AMEIVDING SEC. 12-1, COMPOSITION OF DEPARTMENT, OF CHAPTER 12,
FIRE, OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS BY
RENAMING CERTAIN SUPERVISORY POSITIONS WITHIN THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND ADDING THREE ADDITIONAL DRIVER ENGINEER
POSITIOIVS; AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE SAME; PROVIDING
A REPEALER CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND
DECLARING A1V EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the employment of Firefighters in the City of Paris is governed by
Chapter 143 of the Local Government Code, dealing with Civil Service employment; and,
WHEREAS, Section 143.021 of said Chapter 143 of the Local Government Code
states that that the Civil Service Commission shall provide for the classification of all fire
fighters and police officers and the municipal governing body shall establish the
classifications of Firefighters by ordinance;
WHEREAS, the Fire Chief has requested a renaming of some of the supervisory
positions in the Paris Fire Department to bring the Fire Department more in line with
supervisory structure used in other municipal Fire departments; and
WHEREAS, the intent of the City Council is merely to change the name of the
rank/classifications within the Fire Department, the job descriptions will follow the name
changes. It is not the City Council's intent to create additional ranks/classifications by
adoption of this Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the Fire Chief has also requested an increase in staffing in the Driver
Engineer position from six Drivers to nine Drivers to better meet the needs of the Fire
Department and serve the community; and
WHEREAS, the City of Paris Civil Service Commission has approved the new rank
structure as follows: Fire Chief, Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal, Deputy Chief, Fire Captains,
Driver Engineers, and Firefighters.
1VOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAIIVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PARIS, TEXAS:
Section 1. That the findings set out in the preamble to this ordinance are hereby
in all things approved.
Section 2. Prior to the effective date of this ordinance, the following
classifications and number of positions in each classification in the Fire Department
existed:
(1) One (1) Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal
(2) Four (4) Deputy Chiefs
(3) Twelve (12) Engineers
(4) Six (6) Fire Fighter Drivers
(5) Twenty -seven (27) Firefighters.
Section 3. As of 12:00 a.m., of February 13, 2013, the rank/classification
of Fire Engineer is abolished.
Per §143.085(a), a reinstatement list will immediately exist, and will include the twelve
(12) individuals who occupied the twelve (12) positions in the rank/classification of Fire
Engineer; the names shall be in order of seniority.
As of 12:05 a.m. on February 13, 2013, the newly-described/renamed rank/classification of
"Fire Captain" is created, and it is City Council's intent to create twelve (12) positions in the
Fire Captain rank. The rank of "Fire Captain" is intended to be and will be the equivalent
pay and position description of the former rank/classification of "Fire Engineer." The
twelve (12) individuals on the reinstatement list shall be placed in the rank of "Fire
Captain."
As of 12:15 a.m., of February 13, 2013, the rank/classification of "Fire Fighter Driver" is
abolished.
Per §143.085(a), a reinstatement list will immediately exist, and will include the six (6)
individuals who occupied the six (6) positions in the rank/classification of Fire Fighter
Driver; the names shall be in order of seniority.
As of 12:25 a.m. on February 13, 2013, the newly-described/renamed rank/classification of
"Driver Engineer" is created, and it is City Council's intent to create six (6) positions in the
Driver Engineer rank. The rank of "Driver Engineer" is intended to be and will be the
equivalent pay and position description of the former rank/classification of "Fire Fighter
Driver." The six individuals on the reinstatement list shall be placed in the rank of "Driver
Engineer."
Section 4. That Section 12-1 of Chapter 12 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of
Paris, Texas, is hereby amended, effective February 13, 2013, to read as follows:
"Sec. 26-1. Composition of department.
The Fire department of the City shall be composed of the Fire Chief and fifty
(50) members classified as follows:
(1) One Assistant Fire Chief/Fire Marshal
(2) Four (4) Deputy Chiefs
(3) Twelve (12) Fire Captains.
(4) Six (6) Driver Engineers
(5) Twenty-four (27) Firefighters
Section 5. This Ordinance is not intended to and does not operate to increase the
total authorized strength of the Fire Department.
There is currently one existing promotional eligibility list for the former rank of Fire
Engineer, set to expire on August 6, 2013. The Fire Chief will ask the Paris Civil Service
Commission to rename this eligibility list from "Fire Engineer" to "Fire Captain, "to reflect
the changes referenced in this ordinance.
Section 6. Effective 12:05 a.m. March 6, 2013, the City Council hereby authorizes
three (3) additional positions for the rank of "Driver Engineer" in the Paris Fire
Department which will be filled through competitive promotional examination in
accordance with chapter 143 Tex. Loc. Govt. Code.
Effective 12:15 a.m. March 6, 2013, Section 12-1 of Chapter 12 of the Code of Ordinances of
the City of Paris, Texas is hereby amended to read as follow:
Sec. 26-1. Composition of Department
The Fire department of the City shall be composed of the Fire Chief and fifty
(50) members classified as follows:
(1) One Assistant Fire Chief/Fire Marshal
(2) Four (4) Deputy Chiefs
(3) Twelve (12) Fire Captains.
(4) Nine (9) Driver Engineers
(5) Twenty-four (24) Firefighters
Section 7. That all provisions of the ordinances of the City of Paris, Texas in
conflict with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed, and all other provisions
of the ordinances of the City of Paris not in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance
shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 8. That the repeal of any ordinance or part of ordinances affected by the
enactment of this ordinance shall not be construed as abandoning any action now pending
under or by virtue of such ordinance or as discontinuing, abating, modifying, or altering
any penalty accruing or to accrue, or as affecting any rights of the municipality under any
section or provisions of any ordinance at the time of passage of this ordinance.
Section 9. That it is the intention of the City Council of the City of Paris that this
ordinance and every provision hereof, shall be considered severable, and the invalidity or
partial invalidity of any section, clause, or provisions of this ordinance shall not affect the
validity of any other portion of this ordinance.
Section 10. This Ordinance does not demonstrate, nor is it any evidence of any
intent to form a contract, unilateral or otherwise, with any civil service employee. This
ordinance is enacted to comply with Chapter 143, Texas Local Government Code,
specifically §143.021, and for no other purpose.
Section 11. That this ordinance shall become effective from and after its passage
of the first reading and publication as required by law.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 11th day of February, 2013.
A.J. Hashmi, M.D., Mayor
ATTEST:
Janice Ellis, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
W. Kent McIlyar, City Attorney