At a June 11 special meeting called by the board of commissioners of Harris County Emergency Services District No. 48, the board voted to assemble a five-person committee to address grievances posed to the board by the West I-10 Volunteer Fire Department. At the meeting commissioners said the committee will include two members of the ESD board and three external members with no ties to either entity.

The committee is expected to review the grievances and arrive at a decision for further action within two to three weeks, the board said.

The two entities have been embroiled in a legal battle since Harris County ESD No. 48 announced in 2014 it sought to move paid staff of West I-10 VFD onto the county ESD No. 48 payroll and use a dual-model of emergency service that incorporates both paid and volunteer staff.

According to an official statement from Harris County ESD No. 48 president Marshall Kramer, the dual model required having a fire chief at West I-10 who is employed by the county. Fire Chief Jeffrey Hevey, an ESD No. 48 employee, served as West I-10 VFD chief until June 5, when the West I-10 VFD board voted to relieve him from duty.