Proposition A would have implemented civil service, a system with a citizen commission and tests to assess the hiring, discipline and promotion of firefighters. Proposition B would have introduced collective bargaining, allowing chosen representatives to negotiate for the department’s annual city contracts, pay, staffing requirements and other rules.
The propositions both failed with 52.31% and 58.26% of the votes against, respectively. Frisco City Council members formally accepted the election results during a special-called May 14 meeting.
What it means
As a result, there will be no change to the way the department currently operates.
“I think a lot works with our current system,” City Manager Wes Pierson said.
The Frisco Fire Department is internationally accredited and has an Insurance Services Office (ISO) score of 1—the office’s highest possible score. An ISO score ranks a fire department’s overall safety and operational services as a way to determine residents’ and business owners’ property insurance costs.
“From an insurability standpoint, the city is doing the things necessary to be able to protect its residents,” Pierson said. “They give us their highest rating because they see the things that we're doing as effective.”
The two propositions were originally added to the ballot when two Frisco Fire Fighters Association petitions gathered more than 5,000 signatures combined in just under two months. Association representatives cited concerns toward the city's growth and a need for the department to represent itself as a reason to approve the measures.
"I anticipate us always talking about how we operate," Pierson said.
Zooming out
The Frisco Fire Department currently has nine fire stations in operation and a 10th expected to open in spring 2025. An 11th is currently being designed and expected to break ground soon, Pierson said.Ensuring the city had sufficient funding to open new fire stations was highlighted as a reason to vote against the propositions by members of the political action committee Safety First Frisco.
Pierson said the city will likely have 14 fire stations by the time it reaches buildout but the number can change depending on when and where Frisco’s population grows.
“It really depends on where development takes us,” he said.
Roughly half of the city’s annual budget goes toward public safety, Pierson said. The fire department alone was allocated more than $53.8 million in the city’s fiscal year 2023-24 general fund budget.
“We try to deliver the best services in the most economical fashion so that we can take care of our residents but then also take care of our employees so that they can care of our residents effectively,” Pierson said.
Dig deeper
Pierson said the city is still fully committed to serving its residents.
“All of our residents are top of mind when we're trying to deliver services,” Pierson said.
Officials will continue looking to better the city, whether operationally or otherwise, Pierson said.
“We’re always looking to improve,” he said. “We’ll continue to learn and implement what we think are effective solutions so that we demonstrate progress in motion.”
