Posted: Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:49 AM - 14,186 Readers
By: Patrick George
With their area facing possible annexation into Austin in a few years, union officials from Lake Travis Fire Rescue are in preliminary talks to merge their department with the Austin Fire Department sooner rather than later.
Bob Nicks, a fire department battalion chief and the president of the Austin Firefighters Association, said that his union was approached by the Lake Travis firefighters' union with a proposal for a merger in late July. The unions' respective fire departments have not gotten involved in the discussions yet, Nicks said.
"It's super early," Nicks said. "It's hard to tell what's going to happen."
Lake Travis Fire Rescue is a county emergency services district covering about 200 square miles in western Travis County. It is a taxing entity that collects property tax revenue from the surrounding area.
But with two of their five fire stations within Austin's immediate range for annexation, firefighters there are concerned they could lose much of their county tax base within a few years.
"They're not sustainable," Nicks said. "None of the ESDs are, except for maybe Pflugerville."
Jason Sawyer, the president of the Lake Travis firefighters' union, said a merger would have several benefits besides solving the question of their uncertain future.
"It would do away with a lot of our concerns, including staffing," Sawyer said. In Austin, the city has a policy of four-person staffing — meaning four firefighters to a truck at all times, something the department pays firefighters overtime to ensure. Lake Travis only requires three firefighters, Sawyer said.
"It's safer for our guys and safer for the community," Sawyer said.
Sawyer said that under the preliminary proposal, all of the Lake Travis firefighters would go to work for the City of Austin. The district would have a contract with the city for fire protection, while collecting tax revenue from the citizens in the area.
"They're good guys out there," Sawyer said of the Austin fire union. "They don't want to put us out of work."
Both Austin Fire Department Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr and Lake Travis Chief Bob Linardos declined to comment, saying the negotiations haven't inolved their departments yet. Kerr said she has informed city officials in Austin about the talks.
There are 14 emergency services districts around Travis County, serving areas like Westlake, Manor and Oak Hill.
Nicks said the union will present the plans to fire department management on Wednesday, and then the department will present it to the city for a vote.
In addition, they're looking at how it will impact tax revenue and their pension systems.
Nicks said that he has been approached by other ESDs about possibly merging with the fire department since news of the discussions started circulating.
"This is a template for how things could proceed in the future when it comes to fire protection in Austin and Travis County," Nicks said. "We want to make sure we get it right."
