A "full, public meeting" will have to be scheduled to bring closure to the incident involving the unauthorized use of a city of Austin fire truck.

In addition to deciding not to reprimand Fire Chief Dan Wilson, the Austin Fire Civil Service Commission called for a meeting to consider the "proper parameters governing fire equipment use and whether revision or clarification of existing rules is warranted."

That's what Jeanne A. Poppe, 2nd Ward Austin City Council Member and chairperson of the council's fire safety committee, requested earlier this year when the incident was first revealed.

That's also what the fire chief is willing to do, Wilson said.

After the commission issued its "no-reprimand" ruling last Friday night, Wilson said he is willing to sit down with "fire commanders and discuss a policy."

The commission went into closed session Friday afternoon with attorney John Beckman to consider disciplinary charges against Wilson.

According to a statement released by the commission, the three officials, James Cavanaugh, Kenneth Howe and Steve Booher, "carefully considered preliminary investigative information" about Wilson's fire truck use last June 29.

According to the commission's findings, Wilson admitted driving a city-owned fire truck from a local church to a wedding reception site also in Austin for two friends.

Neither he nor the city received any compensation for the trip.

The commission members also reviewed information about the "long-standing past use of Austin Fire Department equipment outside of fire suppression and fire safety education."

The commission members concluded Wilson's use of a fire truck on June 29 was "inappropriate," but did not "warrant imposition of discipline upon Chief Wilson."

According to the commission's findings -- released Monday in their entirety -- the commission concluded present rules governing the personal and private use of fire department equipment are "ambiguous and unclear in light of past practice."

The next regular meeting of the Austin City Council is 5:30 p.m. Monday.

Clarification

The response times for both full-time paid firefighters and part-time paid firefighters remains the same: 10 minutes.

According to Jim Mattice, president of the Austin firefighters' local union, a report in Sunday's Austin Daily Herald suggested the two fire fighting groups had different response times.

The city's rules on residency and response time for firefighters also were examined by the Austin Fire Civil Service Commission Friday night.

They also have been under review for some time by city officials and the fire department.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com