City wants new vote on firefighter representation

Union president says department will participate if requirements aren’t too burdensome

The city of Texarkana, Texas, is asking firefighters to vote again on who will be their collective bargaining representative, this time under City Hall supervision.

A resolution introduced at Monday’s City Council meeting would declare collective bargaining with Texarkana, Texas, Fire Department to be in effect, as state law requires the city to do by Oct. 30. The resolution also directs the city secretary to conduct an election to determine firefighters’ agent in collective bargaining negotiations.

Such an election was held in late March and resulted in 92 percent of firefighters voting for the union, said Scott Robertson, president of Texarkana’s home chapter, IAFF Local 367. But the council should not recognize that vote, City Manager John Whitson said.

“We did not participate in that election in any way. We didn’t get a chance to oversee it or understand how it was conducted, and the statute does permit for the city to be involved in establishing the election process. And so in the resolution we say we don’t recognize their current vote but we invite them to contact the city secretary” to set up a new election agreeable to both parties, Whitson said.

TTFD will probably cooperate because the next step would be arbitration the city would have to pay for, an unnecessary expense, Robertson said. But only if the city’s requirements are not too burdensome.

“We don’t want the city blowing money on frivolous stuff. It doesn’t make any sense for them to call an arbitrator. However, with them challenging us, it really depends on what they want us to do. I wouldn’t be surprised if we had to jump through some kind of crazy hoop to go up there and vote, so if that’s the case then we don’t have any choice,” Robertson said, adding that the election’s result is certain anyway.

“We are the only possible people. It’s not like there’s another group and maybe they want to do it. You know, we’re it. … In the entire nation there’s not anyone else,” he said.

A public hearing on the resolution is scheduled for Aug. 14 and a vote for Sept. 11.

In other business Monday, the council voted to continue using local accounting firm Holliday, Lemons and

Cox to conduct its financial audits for fiscal years 2017, 2018 and 2019. City staff had recommended changing to a Dallasbased firm for a “fresh perspective” after using Holliday, Lemons and Cox for the past 30 years.

Before the meeting began, Mayor Bob Bruggeman and the remainder of the council paid tribute to former Ward 4 Councilmember Brian Matthews, who resigned effective Monday because he has moved out of the ward and therefore is no longer qualified to hold the seat.

Bruggeman presented Matthews with a commemorative plaque, and councilmembers took turns praising his service to the community.

“You have gone above and beyond all expectations. … It has been an honor to serve with you,” Ward 6 Councilmember Josh Davis said.

“I am so grateful for your friendship,” Ward 1 Councilmember Jean Matlock said.

Matthews returned the compliments and thanked the council for the opportunity to serve.

“There is a new chapter that I am endeavoring to pursue, and so this is definitely bittersweet,” he said. “I greatly appreciate and am deeply honored for you allowing me to serve in this capacity, for respecting any decisions that I’ve made, whether they’ve been for or against, and entrusting me to be the councilman that you expect me to be.”

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