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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 13061ORDINANCE NO AN ORDINANCE ADJUSTING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED CIVIL SERVICE POSITIONS AT EACH CLASSIFICATION (RANK) IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1996-1997, PROVIDING FOR THE CREATION OF FOUR ADDITIONAL BATTALION CHIEF POSITIONS, ONE ADDITIONAL FIRE CAPTAIN POSITION, ONE ADDITIONAL FIRE LIEUTENANT POSITION, THREE ADDITIONAL FIRE ENGINEER POSITIONS, AND THREE ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS, PROVIDING A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT., PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE CUMULATIVE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, the City's Annual Budget Ordinance for the 1996-1997 Fiscal Year, the most recent ordinance concerning the authorized and budgeted positions for the Fire Department, adjusted the Department's civil service staffing as follows Deputy Chiefs 3 Battalion Chiefs 19 Captains 73 Lieutenants 97 Engineers 157 Firefighters 327 Total 676 WHEREAS, the Fire Chief now requests that the Council readjust the total authorized number of Fire Department civil service positions at each classification (rank) for the remainder of the 1996-1997 Fiscal Year, in conformity with the changes set forth below ,and WHEREAS, pursuant to Chapter 143 021(a), Texas Local Government Code, the City Council may prescribe and/or adjust the authorized number of positions in each classification (rank) by ordinance, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS SECTION 1 That, effective immediately upon the adoption of this ordinance, the following positions shall be the only civil service positions in each classification (rank) authorized in the City of Fort Worth Fire Department for the remainder of the Fiscal Year 1996-1997, or until modified by subsequent ordinance Deputy Chiefs 3 Battalion Chiefs 23 Captains 74 ** Lieutenants 98 *** Engineers 160 **** Firefighters 330 ***** Total 688 Creates four new positions ** Creates one new position **'" Creates one new position **** Creates three new positions ***** Creates three new positions SECTION 2 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 purposes and intent of the City Council in the adoption of this ordinance SECTION 3 It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs or sections of this ordinance 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 2 SECTION 4 This ordinance shall take effect and be in full force and effect from and after its passage, and it is so ordained P ROVED AST FOR AN LEGALITY City Attorney Date ~~~~~~ ADOPTED ~ ~r~ / ~ ~ ~ ~~ ._ EFFECTIVE JyG~ / _ ~~ / 3 City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication 06/24(97 G-11922 36FIRE 1 of 2 SUBJECT ORDINANCE ADJUSTING THE AUTHORIZED CIVIL SERVICE STRENGTH IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached ordinance specifying the number of authorized positions in the Fire Department and increasing the number of Battalion Chief positions by one, Fire Captain positions by one, Fire Lieutenant positions by one, Fire Engineer positions by three,. and Firefighter positions by three DISCUSSION Additional Fire Company at Fire Station 35 During deliberations concerning the FY 1996-97 budget, City Council approved funds to be included in the Fire Department budget for a second fire company to be assigned to Fire Station 35 (Alliance Airport) Funds were included for the training of nine firefighters and 12 months of salaries, however the authorized positions were not included in the Civil Service Staffing section of the 1996-1997 Budget Ordinance The class will graduate on June 20, 1997, at which time promotions into the ranked positions should occur Additional Battalion Chief Position It is also recommended that one additional Battalion Chief position be created The additional Battalion Chief would be assigned to the Bureau of Fire Prevention to provide much needed management support in that division The position would be the supervisor of the Fire Investigation/Explosive Disposal section This section is one of four sections that comprise the Bureau of Fire Prevention The current management structure of the Bureau consists of one Deputy Chief (Fire Marshall and one Battalion Chief (Assistant Fire Marshal) The Bureau has experienced work load increases of up to 85% due primarily to development growth in the city This increase impacts everyone in the division, but particularly the Assistant Fire Marshal, because of the number of pre-development meetings, equivalency rulings, negotiating sessions, general meetings, and personnel supervision duties Additionally, the workload of the Investigation/Bomb Disposal section has increased as a result of the need for heightened readiness to respond to bomb and other terrorist type activities and the increased levels of training needed to respond to these types of incidents Finally, it is very time-consuming and expensive to reach the needed training levels to work in the Investigation/Bomb Disposal section This section has been led by a Fire Captain who was given bomb disposal training at a cost of approximately S 100,000 00 Shortly after completing the necessary training, the most recently assigned Captain was successful in placing number one Printed on Recyded Paper City of Fort worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication DATE REFERENCE NUMBER LOG NAME PAGE 06/24/97 G-11922 36FIRE 2 of 2 sUBSECT ORDNANCE ADJUSTING THE AUTHORIZED CIVIL SERVICE STRENGTH IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT on the Battalion Chief promotion fist and was subsequently promoted Since there is not a Battalion Chief authorized to oversee this section, he should have been reassigned to the Operations Division where the vacancy occurred Because of the heavy workload, time and training necessary to prepare another Captain, the newly promoted Battalion Chief was "loaned" from Operations to Fire Prevention to continue managing the section until his replacement could be named and trained Upgrading this position to a Battalion Chief would eliminate the problem of selecting and training a section leader for this very specialized area, only to have the incumbent promote out of the position It would also provide additional management support needed for the Bureau Recommended Chances in Authorized Positions The addition of the positions referred to above would result in the following changes in the authorized strength for the Fire Department Rank Current Proaosed Deputy Chief 3 3 Battalion Chief 19 20 Captain 73 74 Lieutenant 97 98 Engineer 157 160 Firefighter 327 330 Total 676 685 FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION The Director of Fiscal Services certifies that funds are available in the current operating budget, as appropriated, of the General Fund LW m Submitted for City Manager's FUND ACCOUNT CENTER AMOUNT CITX SECRETARY Office by: ct~) APPFIOVED ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ Libb Watson 6183 ~ ~ #" ~" ': Originating Department Head: :.~ J~L ~ ~ H.L. McMillen G801 (from) ~ GGOI 514010 0363510 Git~ SErctat'.rp ~ tba t ' ' Ci y of Fcrt ~S o; tli, 5t er_as For Additional Information Contact: H.L. McMillen 6801 Printed on Regded Paper AadptQd Ot'dEnsnC~" I~~. L=....:. /