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Home My WebLink AboutOrdinance 27827-06-2025ORDINANCE NO.27827-06-2025 AN ORDINANCE REVISING THE NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED SWORN POSITIONS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EFFECTIVE MAY 31, 2025, BY ADDING EIGHTEEN FIRE FIGTHER POSITIONS; PROVIDING A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE CUMULATIVE OF ALL PRIOR ORDINANCES AND REPEALING CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, Section 143.021(a), Texas Local Government Code provides that a municipality's governing body shall by ordinance (i) establish the classifications of fire fighters and (ii) prescribe the number of positions in each classification; and WHEREAS, on September 17, 2024, the City Council adopted Ordinance 27180- 09-2024, which established the Fire Department's sworn personnel staffing levels, effective October 1, 2024, as follows: ; and Fire Assistant Chief 3 Fire Deputy Chief 6 Fire Battalion Chief 30 Fire Captain 92 Fire Lieutenant 143 Fire Engineer 228 Fire Fithter 547 Total 1049 WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth does not currently have sufficient open positions to accommodate the onboarding of recruit Class 99; and WHEREAS, the Fire Chief has requested that the City Council temporarily increase the total number of authorized positions in the Fire Department by eighteen fire fighters, for the purpose of providing fire service in the City of Fort Worth. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: Ordinance No. 27827-06-2025 Page 1 of 3 SECTION 1. That, following the formal adoption of this ordinance, the following positions shall be the only sworn positions in each classification (rank) authorized in the City of Fort Worth Fire Department effective May 31, 2025, until modified by subsequent ordinance: Fire Assistant Chief 3 Fire Deputy Chief 6 Fire Battalion Chief 30 Fire Captain 92 Fire Lieutenant 143 Fire Engineer 228 Fire Fighter 565 Total 1067 SECTION 2. That the "Mayor and Council Communication" memorandum, which is presented contemporaneously with this ordinance, is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference for further clarification and explanation of the purpose and intent of the City Council in its adoption of this ordinance as well as the Department in its implementation. SECTION 3. That this ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of previous ordinances and of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (2015), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with the provisions of prior Fire staffing ordinances for the Fire Department and such Code, in which event conflicting provisions of such ordinances and such code provisions are hereby repealed and this ordinance shall be controlling. Ordinance No. 27827-06-2025 Page 2 of 3 SECTION 4. That it is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of these ordinances are severable, and if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in this ordinance of any such unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section. SECTION 5. That this ordinance shall be effective May 31, 2025, with respect to the change in positions as reflected above, and it is so ordained. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: T,suft- Christopher A. Troutt, Asst. City Attorney ADOPTED: June 24, 2025 EFFECTIVE: May 31, 2025 ATTEST: Jannette S. Goodall, City Secretary j. - o 0 OPP p 0 A n.00 ' 1 0= pUo 0 G Q0 0° 00 ° 0 °°S �� n„� Ordinance No. 27827-06-2025 Page 3 of 3 City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication DATE: 06/24/25 M&C FILE NUMBER: M&C 25-0631 LOG NAME: 36FIRE STAFFING ORDINANCE - CLASS 99 SUBJECT (ALL) Adopt Ordinance Temporarily Increasing the Number of Authorized Positions in the Classification of Fire Fighter in the Fire Department by Eighteen Effective May 31, 2025, to Accommodate Recent Academy Graduates, thereby Increasing the Total Number of Authorized Civil Service Positions by Eighteen RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached ordinance prescribing the number of authorized sworn positions in each classification in the Fire Department, temporarily increasing the number of authorized positions in the classification of Fire Fighter by eighteen (18) effective May 31, 2025, to accommodate recent academy graduates, thereby increasing the total authorized Civil Service positions from 1,049 to 1,067 with such ordinance to be effective until superseded by future ordinances to restore the intended authorized positions. DISCUSSION: The purpose of this Mayor and Council Communication (M&C) and the attached ordinance is to increase the number of authorized positions in the classification of Fire Fighter in the Fort Worth Fire Department by a total of eighteen (18) effective May 31, 2025, in order to have sufficient Fire Fighter positions for all of the graduates of Fort Worth Fire Recruit Class 99, which graduated on May 30, 2025. On May 31, 2025, the twenty-seven (27) recruits who graduated from Class 99 were commissioned. Under the current staffing ordinance, the Department only projected nine (9) available vacancies for the pay period commencing May 31, 2025. Therefore, the Fire Department recommends that the City Council authorize a temporary increase of eighteen (18) positions in the Fire Fighter classification with an effective date of May 31, 2025 to accommodate all of the graduates of Class 99. Because May 31, 2025 is the beginning of a pay period and payroll is processed in arrears, adopting the ordinance with an effective date of May 31, 2025 for the 18 positions will allow all recruits in Class 99 to be properly classified and paid as of their initial commission date. The need to add these positions is a result of the Department not generally carrying vacancies. In an effort to ensure that calls for service are met with optimum response times, the Fire Department strives to keep the number of Fire Fighter vacancies as close to zero as is reasonably possible. To accomplish this goal, academy classes are scheduled to correspond with projected vacancies, including retirements and promotions. Because the necessary vacancies in the Fire Fighter classification are not available to accommodate the graduates of Class 99, the Department is seeking to temporarily increase the number of authorized positions in the classification of Fire Fighter. These temporary overages should expire September 30, 2025 as retirements and promotions occur. On September 19, 2023, the City Council adopted its most recent authorized staffing ordinance for the Fire Department (Ordinance No. 26455- 09-2023). For FY2025, no change was made to the number of authorized positions in any classification from the prior year (M&C 24-0849). Approval of the attached ordinance would result in new authorized staffing levels as follows, adding eighteen (18) Fire Fighter positions for Class 99, effective May 31, 2025: Position Fire Assistant Chief Fi' re Deputy Chief Fire Battalion Chief Current Authorized Overage Revised Authorized Future Intended Authorized Strength Change 11 Strength Strength 3 30 Fire Captain 92 Fire Lieutenant 143 i 3 143 3 Fire Engineer 228 I 228 I 228 Fire Fighter 547 1 +18 565 547 TOTAL 1 1,049 1,067 1,049 NOTE - With the function of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) being brought into the Fire Department, additional classifications and authorized strength will be required, as will an update to the salary ordinance. A separate M&C and ordinance will be brought forward to update the staffing and salary ordinances in preparation for those new positions coming online as City employees. The Fire Department will have the responsibility to manage their appropriations commensurate to not create a deficit position. A Form 1295 is not required because: This M&C does not request approval of a contract with a business entity. FISCAL INFORMATION / CERTIFICATION: The Director of Finance certifies that upon approval of the recommendation, funds are available in the current operating budget, as previously appropriated, in the General Fund. Prior to an expenditure being incurred, the Fire Department has the responsibility to validate the availability of funds. Submitted for Citv Manaaer's Office bv: William Johnson Oriainatina Business Unit Head: Jim Davis 6801 Additional Information Contact: