In a move that will impact all citizens across Titus County, County Commissioners voted 3-0 to create a county-wide fire department and terminate a decades long contract for fire protection with the City of Mount Pleasant Fire Department.
Back in September, the county leaders voted 3-2 to agree in principle to remain in a contract with the City of Mount Pleasant, paying 32 percent of the city’s fire department budget in year one, and going up two percent per year until it reached 40 percent. The financial costs of that contract became the rub for county leaders, who cite the financial strain on the county budget as their reason for calling for the need of a county department. According to a financial spreadsheet provided, the annual cost increases to the county would have a dramatic increase on their general fund balance and would call for substantial tax increases for county residents.
One caveat to that vote back in September was to also send the contract to attorneys for review.
County Auditor Barbara Shurbet also voiced concerns with the contract with the city noting that the contract made no way for the county to bow out until 2027 if the financial burdens were too high and that the contract’s stated yearly increases did not state an actual dollar amount and that there was no stated limit on that annual dollar amount. The commissioners did propose a five percent maximum dollar amount on the yearly increase, but that proposal was rejected by the city.
Commissioners Jesse Parchman, John Fitch and Dana Applewhite cast the three votes in favor of the change, and commissioner Jimmy Parker and County Judge Brian Lee abstained.
Commissioner Parchman took to social media before the meeting to voice his desire for a move to a county department. Parchman stated, “ Having the utmost respect and admiration for all first responders. I don’t believe there is enough pay in the world to ask somebody to sacrifice their lives for somebody else’s. I am not a yes man and frankly that is not what Titus County needs…There are taxation consequences that we as citizens have to suffer due to commissioners being pressured to make choices that is not in the best interest of the all Titus County Citizens. Hate, anger and the threat of not being voted for will not sway me from doing what I think is right for all Titus County Citizens.”
Parchman then added, “In office or not, in five years consequences of this new City Council’s fire contract will put our general funds under $100,000 literally breaking the county. The tax rate will have to go up 3.5% every year, for the five years of this contract and it’s still not enough to cover it. What will happen in the six year if there is no money to pay the City Council for fire services for the county? I have heard and seen in action, several proposals that come in less than the City Council’s new fire contract, one is the creation of a new County fire department. If this route was accepted, the county would NOT have to pay $1 million a year to the City Council for their fire protection. The County Commissioners would be in control of the county fire department funding. This would open at the least 14 positions, and hopefully they would be filled by Current city firefighters that wanted to work closer to their homes in the county. Without any loss of current benefits to encourage veteran firefighters not just new firefighters to join…That being said I will continue to do what’s best for Titus County Citizens not what is best for particular individuals in this county.”
Commissioner Dana Applewhite said during Monday’s meeting, “ It’s about the taxpayers money, that’s what’s really important….lives are too, don’t get me wrong, but we need both. We have got to figure out some way we can do it.” Applewhite referred to the current plan as a Cadillac and stated that maybe the county needed to go back to a Dodge.
Commissioner Parker agreed with the financial concerns, but voted to abstain stating that he had concerns that they would be able to get an operational department up and running in the one year time frame they would have to get it done.
Those who spoke in favor of the move during the meeting drew attention to concerns such as the rising costs of fire protection from the MPFD and concerns over the contract with the city related to the length of the contract and the contract’s vague nature keeping county leaders from being able to formulate an accurate yearly budget and make long term plans. County financial reserves were also a concern for those in favor of making the move to a county department.
Harts Bluff ISD Superintendent Dr. Bobby Rice spoke during public comments not taking a position on the debate but merely asking the commissioners to make sure that his school district and its 800 students would have adequate fire protection during the transition if the county leaders opted to move to a county wide department.
Representatives from SWEPCO also spoke to the court before their vote voicing their support of the city’s fire department and asked the commissioners to work together with the city to reach an agreement that would be in the best interests of all of the residents and businesses of Titus County.
After all of the discussion, Commissioner Parchman made the motion to rescind the action taken in September and to move forward with a one-year contract with the city to continue fire coverage while the county puts together and staffs its own county department. Commissioner Applewhite seconded the motion which then resulted in the 3-0 vote.