The Hutto City Council has directed the Economic Development Corporation to pursue a consultant to provide the long-term financial and operational costs of a city-owned fire department.
The background
In May, Hutto City Council directed the Hutto Economic Development Corporation to move forward with a new fire station near the Hutto Megasite and establish a city-owned fire department.
According to a city FAQ, Hutto is the 13th fastest-growing city in America, and establishing a municipal fire department is “simply what cities of this size do.”
Leaders of the emergency services district expressed concerns about the decision, stating in a press release that “the district does not understand the decision to create a duplicate fire protection system alongside” its existing service.
What happened
At its June 2 meeting, council members discussed the topic further, as brought up by recently elected member Corina Zepeda.
Zepeda said she brought up the item to bring transparency on the full cost of having a city-owned fire department
“We as the tax payer bear the burden of it over a long term, and it’s a massive project,” Zepeda said. “So far, public information has not been offered about what the full cost would be.”
Snyder said they have not hired consultants, and the next step would be to hire them to estimate capital and operating costs, determine staffing and equipment needs and produce reliable long-term financial projections.
The council approved an amended motion directing the EDC to pursue a consultant to provide the long-term financial and operational costs of a city-owned fire department.
What happens next?
According to the FAQ, the new fire station is under development, and the City is actively working through the operational, staffing, and legal details involved in standing up a municipal fire department.
