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Fire marshal decision has been made

Victoria County will keep its fire marshal post instead of combining with city

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  • David Tewes •
  • Originally published July 14, 2008 at 11:48 p.m., updated July 14, 2008 at 11:48 p.m.

At least 25 firefighters filled the meeting room of the Victoria County Commissioners Court Monday, but there was no fire.

Still, County Judge Don Pozzi might have felt like he was on the hot seat as he drew fire from the volunteer firefighters.

Pozzi was considering transferring the county fire marshal duties to the Victoria Fire Department to save tax dollars. The volunteers successfully made their point: They don’t like the idea.

“The discussion is over,” Pozzi said after the meeting. “We will have a county fire marshal.”

The county fire marshal post has been vacant since April, when Kyle Young left to take a job with a private fire investigation company in Houston.

The city and county have a joint agreement to cover such shared services as fire and emergency medical services. Pozzi was investigating having the city take over the fire marshal duties under that agreement.

“I simply wanted to explore that possibility,” Pozzi said. “After having explored that possibility, I still think it’s a good idea.”

The county has had applicants for the county position, but Pozzi has declined to comment on their credentials. He said Monday the county will continue to advertise the opening and find a new fire marshal.

Fire Chief Mike Kelly with the Nursery Volunteer Fire Department said 10 years ago there was little or no coordination of the volunteer departments.

The county created the fire marshal position, and Donnie Teague, the first fire marshal, helped pull the departments together. Young came after that and continued to keep the departments coordinated and represented the firefighters before the commissioners court, Kelly said.

“If that position is under the city, we believe it’s going to become part-time representation,” he said. “Will he be there when we need him?”

Chief Larry Green with the Fordtran fire department said if the city takes over the duties, he believes more people will get tickets for violating fire-related laws. That could hamper the fundraising efforts of the volunteers, which depend on donations to operate, he said.

“We do get more money from our people in this area than we do from the county,” Green said.

Richard Castillo with the Lone Tree fire department said the county needs its own fire marshal.

“I think what the county fire marshal brings to us is leadership,” said Castillo, a former Victoria Fire Department investigator. “If we get the city employee, he’s just going to be an investigator.”

Chief Dave Garza, with the Telferner fire department, said having the city take over the fire marshal duties would be like commissioners court turning their duties over to the city council.

“That’s how I feel, and from what I hear, everybody else feels,” he said.

David Tewes is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6515 or dtewes@vicad.com, or comment on this story at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.



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