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Home My WebLink AboutOrdinance 12503ORDINANCE NO . / ~~ (~~ AN ORDINANCE ADJUSTING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED CIVIL SERVICE POSITIONS AT EACH CLASSIFICATION (RANK) IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT; DELETING ONE DEPUTY CHIEF POSITION UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE NEXT VACANCY; CREATING ONE ADDITIONAL BATTALION CHIEF POSITION; CREATING FOUR ADDITIONAL CAPTAIN POSITIONS; PROVIDING THE STATEMENT OF INTENT TO DELETE TWO CAPTAIN POSITIONS UPON THE 000UR- RENCE OF THE NEXT VACANCIES; PROVIDING A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT FOR THE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ORDINANCE; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE CUMULATIVE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR ENGROSSMENT AND ENROLLMENT OF THIS ORDINANCE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT HEREBY KNOWN: WHEREAS, the Fire Chief has requested the City Council to readjust and thereafter specify the total number of authorized civil service positions at each classification (rank) in the Fire Department into conformity with the proposed changes as set forth immediately below in order to effect efficient economy of the operations of the Fire Department; and WHEREAS, the City's Annual Budget Ordinance for the 1995-1996 Fiscal Year effective October 1, 1995, 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 4 Battalion Chiefs 18 Captains 71 Lieutenants 97 Engineers 157 Firefighters 3'27 TOTAL 674 WHEREAS, pursuant to Chapter 143.021 (a), Texas Local Government Code, the City Council may prescribe the authorized number of positions in each classification (rank). The specifica- tion and authorization of the correct number of budgeted civil service positions is also required to be established by ordinance by Chapter 143.021(a), Texas Local Government Code; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: SECTION 1. That, effective upon the formal 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 1995-1996 or until modified by subsequent ordinance: Deputy Chief s 3 Battalion Chiefs 19** Captains 75*** Lieutenants 97 Engineers 157 Firefighters .327 TOTAL 678 * Reduction by one position ** Increase by one position *** Increase by four positions, with two positions to be deleted at a future date SECTION 2. The "Mayor and Council Communication" memorandum which is pre- sented contemporaneously with this ordinance is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference for further clarification and explanation of the purposes and intent of the Council in their adoption as well as the Department's implementation of this ordinance. In addition, it is expressly stated that this ordinance serves to: 2 (a) Delete one Deputy Chief position at a time contempora- neous with the occurrence of the next vacancy in that classification which occurs due to normal attrition. Upon the occurrence of the next vacancy in a Deputy Chief position, the position shall not be filled and those duties shall be reassigned. This intent is expressed so as to negate any expectancy of promotion into the Deputy Chief position which is being deleted. (b) Create one new Battalion Chief position to be filled as soon as a promotional exam is given and a promotional eligibility list is finalized. (c) Create four new Captain positions to be filled from the promotional eligibility list currently in effect. (d) Provide the statement of intent to delete two Captain positions at a time contemporaneous with the occurrence of the next two vacancies in that classification. Upon the occurrence of the next two vacancies in a Captain position, the two Captain positions shall not be filled and those duties shall be reassigned. This intent is expressed so as to negate any expectancy of promotion into the Captain positions which will be deleted, said deletions to be made effective by a subsequent ordinance. 3 SECTION 3. This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of previous ordinances and of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with the provisions of prior civil service 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. SECTION 4. It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared unconsti- tutional 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. The City Secretary of the City of Fort Worth is hereby directed to engross and enroll this ordinance by copying the caption and effective date in the minutes of the City Council and by filing the ordinance in the ordinance records of the City. 4 SECTION 6. This ordinance shall take effect and be in full force and effect from and after its passage, and it is so ordained. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: City orney - {k~aisf~.d-~ Date • /~Or'if~, Z~f, /99( ADOPTED : ~1' ~~L~ - ~SD EFFECTIVE: 5 City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication DATE REFERENCE NUMBER LOG NAME PAGE 04/30/96 36ADJUST 1 of 2 SUBJECT ADJUST AUTHORIZED CIVIL SERVICE STRENGTH IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached ordinance specifying the authorized positions in the Fire Department, effectively decreasing by one the number of authorized Deputy Chief positions and increasing the number of authorized Battalion Chief positions by one and increasing the number of Captain positions by four DISCUSSION The Fire Department proposes that one Deputy Chief position be deleted contingent upon the next retirement of an incumbent, which should occur April 30, 1996 The duties and responsibilities of this position will be distributed among remaining staff members The Department also proposes the addition of one Battalion Chief position and four Captain positions, with the intent to delete two Captain positions through attrition after the current Fire Captain promotional eligibility list expires We are presently aware of two vacancies occurring in the Captain rank in the near future, one in about 80 days as a result of a retirement and one in 90 to 120 days as a result of this recommended increase in Battalion Chief positions Therefore, in the interest of management expediency we are recommending the promotion of two overage positions from the existing Captain promotional list which expires May 9, 1996 Approval of these positions will allow the Fire Department to continue its plan to shift increased responsibilities and accountability down to lower levels of the organization The additional Battalion Chief, to be assigned to the Fire Training Academy, will be responsible for the recruitment, testing, selection, and training of all Fire Trainees, the management of the Department's Apprenticeship Program, and the Probationary Evaluation Program One additional Captain will be given the responsibility for the administration and records management functions of the Academy This includes in-service training records management, continuing education/certification requirements, general records management, defensive driving/engineer training, and promotional testing The second Captain will be assigned to the Bureau of Fire Prevention and be responsible for the testing of standpipe systems in buildings that have these types of systems Standpipe systems, found in highrise and large commercial warehouses, are used to maintain the necessary amounts of water and water pressure when conducting fire suppression activities in such structures Due to the increased development activity in the city, personnel assigned to standpipe testing and fire sprinkler system testing have been focusing only on the latter in an attempt to limit delays in granting approval to building owners for their sprinkler systems The additional Captain will allow the critical standpipe system testing to resume The two overage Captains will also be assigned to the Bureau of Fire Prevention, with responsibility for the inspection of all highrise structures in the city Inspection of highrise structures has fallen behind due to previous years' staff reductions The addition of two Captains will allow the Department to clear the backlog of inspections These Captains will also assist in clearing the backlog of requests for fire sprinkler system inspections >~ Printed on Bagdad Paper r -- Adopted Ordnance No, ~?•.~ ~-~ City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication DATE REFERENCE NUMBER LOG NAME PAGE 04/30/96 -11468 36ADJUST 2 Qf 2 SUBJ,SCT ADJUST AUTHORIZED CIVIL SERVICE STRENGTH IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT Deletion of the one Deputy Chief position and the addition of one Battalion Chief and four Captain positions will result in the following changes in authorized strength for the Fire Department Rank Current Proposed Deputy Chief 4 * 3 Battalion Chief 18 * * 19 Captain 71 * * *75 Lieutenant 97 97 Engineer 157 157 Firefighter 327 327 Total 674 678 * Reduction of one position **Increase of one position * * * Increase of four positions, with two positions to be deleted at a future date FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION The Director of Fiscal Services certifies that the funds required for the upgraded positions are available in the current operating budget, as appropriated, of the General Fund RG a Submitted for City Manager's FUND ACCOUNT CENTER AMOUNT CITY SECRETARY Office by: (to) E APPROV D Libby Watson 6183 T ( ~ ~ C~ ~~ ~~~ Originating Department Head: ` -' ` APR 30 '19~ Larry McMillen 6801 (from) GGO1 514010 0352500 $5,222.00 ~ , , For Additional Information City Secretary of the Contact: City of Fort Worth, Tezss Larry McMillen 6801 Printed on Bagdad Paper ~..~^nted OrdinanL~ No. ~~..'`~