COLDSPRING — a request to add a codicil to the county’s Health and Safety ordinance that would allow the County Commissioners Court to remove appointed members from emergency services districts was delayed, with admonitions from the court that ESD No. 1 and the Coldspring Volunteer Fire Department work out their differences.
The matter was considered at Wednesday regular court meeting, and was requested by Precinct 1 Commissioner Luke Sweeney after the ESD voted recently to terminate its contract with CVFD.
County Judge Fritz Faulkner said the matter is of great importance to everyone in the room.
“I think everyone wants to see fire departments be more efficient, better equipped, better trained,” he said. “I don’t know how we got to this point, I thought there would be some meeting of the minds to resolve the problem. I heard some wise comments about slowing the roll; I just want to get everybody to be at the table.”
Faulkner did say the contract provides a 60-day period before the cancellation takes effect, and that he prays this can all get worked out.
“It concerns me that the CVFD has the potential to be no more,” he said.
The ESD desires to place all county department under one umbrella, with a single fire chief, to normalize training, funding, equipment and repairs, and claims CVFD has resisted the plan and has made questionable decision regarding the department, including transferring the deed to the property to the city of Coldspring.
CVFD said they have seen no plan or information regarding the consolidation, and it and other departments have questions that are not being answered.
Speaking as a concerned resident, Gerald Deeter said he is deeply concerned about the county’s fire protection and what is taking place with the CVFD.
“The residents are being jeopardized by this, and we’re wondering where our protection is going to come from,” he said. “This could have been avoided by doing it in a more diplomatic manner without us becoming concerned.”
Gary Wulf, a council member in Point Blank and a member of San Jacinto County First Responders, said that as a private resident, he questions how the county ensures fire suppression activities with the coming growth.
“I see many advantages to integration of departments, including economy of scale and resource allocation, firefighter certification,” he said. “I know this process is never easy, but organizations need to evolve. FDs and ESD already have a shortage of volunteers. I’m asking if there’s room for the commissioners to unwind this situation a bit before taking any irreversible action. I advocate a slower approach.”
Faulkner said that the Commissioners Court puts appointees on the ESD board, and has no authority to remove anyone from the ESD unless it adopts the proposed resolution.
Christine Hughes said that while she agrees with the direction the ESD board is going, she does not agree with relinquishing certain responsibilities.
“We don’t need to be individual entities, but we need to take a closer look at this,” she said. “It is so unclear how this is going to go moving forward.”
Sweeney, after lauding the volunteer firefighters, said there have been steps taken to make the change the ESD wanted, but that it would be best for there to be a three- to five-year plan out in writing that can be discussed.
He also asked that both entities help clear up the miscommunication.
“If there’s anything the county can do to help this, let us know,” Faulkner said.
The item was then tabled.
In other business, the commissioners:
•approved a road use agreement with Lone Star Power Plant;
•proclaimed June 12-15 as the Elmore Family Reunion event;
•proclaimed June 19 as Juneteenth Day in the county;
•approved seeking bids for the Lee Turner Road Project;
•approved a lot split for Terri Nesloney in the Peter Whitaker Survey;
•approved a contract for election services with the county and ESD No. 2;
•approved the employee benefits pool renewal rates;
•approved a lot split for Frank and Laurie Pelaccio in the William Morris Survey;
•approved a material bid for reclaimed asphalt from Adams Contractors that ranges from $39 to $43.50 delivered;
•approved the use of the Operation Lone Star Grant for training;
•approved declaring computer equipment and old vehicles as surplus or salvage; and
•approved the purchase of a 911 recording system to be reimbursed by DETCOG.
