DRAPER — City leaders have taken another step to sever ties with the Unified Fire Authority and create a Draper fire department.
Mayor Troy Walker on Tuesday appointed Clint Smith, currently a Unified battalion chief, as Draper's future fire chief.
The City Council is scheduled to vote next week on whether to ratify Smith's position and $125,000 salary.
Smith's appointment comes less than 30 days after the City Council voted to notify the Unified Fire Authority that it intends to withdraw Draper from the consolidated fire service agency within the next 12 months.
That wasn't without debate, however. During the Aug. 16 meeting, Unified fire employees and supporters spent nearly two hours urging the City Council to remain with the agency, championing the expertise of Unified firefighters and arguing that the city would save money by staying.
But Walker said Draper's taxpayers ultimately will be better served if the city branches out on its own.
Even though it will cost the city $5.5 million in 2017 to build its own fire department — while continuing the contract with Unified fire would cost $4.75 million next year — Walker said Draper will have more control of its budget and fire services if it takes steps toward independence now.
"One of the problems is we don't have the ability to control our costs or control our future" if the city stays with the Unified Fire Authority, the mayor said, because the agency's board ultimately is in charge of how money is spent.
"I don't like to give up our taxing authority," Walker said. "And if you join a big service area, you give up that taxing authority."
As a long-term plan, Unified leaders have said the agency would prefer to hire three more firefighters — meaning 14 would be serving Draper per day — which would cost the city $6.8 million each year. That's an increase of more than $2 million from what Draper currently pays to contract with the Unified Fire Authority.
Draper would keep its firefighter staff at 11 per day under its $5.5 million plan to start its own fire department.
"I think this is going to be a great opportunity," Walker said, noting he's "confident" in the city analysis of costs. "We've saved the money to do it. We're not raising taxes. … We're solid on our ability to do it."
The mayor said he's been working on the proposal for more than a year, and Draper's decision to separate from the Unified Fire Authority has "absolutely nothing to do" with the agency's management turmoil over the past several months. Currently, two audits into Unified spending, travel and compensation are underway.
"I've been interested in doing this since I was elected to the City Council nearly 10 years ago," Walker said.
Sheldon Stewart, chairman of the Unified Fire Authority board, said the agency would "definitely love for Draper to stay" but recognizes the city's wishes to have more "local control."
"We support whatever needs to happen," he said. "We're going to help them have a good transition."
Stewart said Unified's revenue models are "neutral," meaning Draper's withdrawal shouldn't have any financial impact on the agency.
However, when asked if Draper's withdrawal could jeopardize the jobs of firefighters currently serving the Draper area with the Unified Fire Authority, Stewart said that remains to be seen.
"I imagine they could pull from (Unified's) pool, but until that happens, we really don't know what that impact is going to be," he said.
Walker said it will be up to Smith to decide who he hires to work for his department, but he could possibly consider hiring from Unified fire's current staff.
"Obviously it's not my job to take care of (Unified) firefighters' jobs," Walker said. "But (Smith) is employed by UFA. I'm certain he'll hire people he trusts."
Smitch currently serves as Unified's emergency medical services bureau chief.
He would immediately begin working as Draper's new fire chief after the City Council ratifies his appointment, Walker said, to help prepare the city for its transition by next summer.
Attempts to reach Smith for comment Tuesday were unsuccessful.
Email: kmckellar@deseretnews.com
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