Horseshoe Bay seeks fire chief; interim hired
Horseshoe Bay hired Rhea Cooper on July 10 as interim fire chief following the departure Chief Brett Batla, who took a city manager job in Keene. Staff photo by Nathan Bush
Horseshoe Bay needs a new fire chief after Chief Brent Batla took a job as the Keene city manager on July 3. The city hired Rhea Cooper on July 10 to serve as interim fire chief while it searches for a permanent replacement, which could potentially be found by the end of September.
Cooper does not plan to seek the permanent job, Mayor Cynthia Clinesmith said.
Batla served with the Horseshoe Bay Fire Department for over three years. During his tenure, he was a strong leader and instrumental in planning for the department’s future, Clinesmith told DailyTrib.com.
“The whole time he was here, he was a gentleman and a good guy,” she said. “It’s a loss, and we’re going to miss him. He came in and made some good decisions on how to financially plan for the future. He also helped draw out the West Fire Station renovations that we’re about to begin.”
Batla was also crucial in the city’s response to a massive wildfire in August 2020 that burned over 400 acres in Horseshoe Bay.
“He immediately took on that 400-acre wildfire,” Clinesmith said. “Even our police chief said it was the best-managed event he had ever seen in his career.”
While Clinesmith will miss Batla’s presence, she understands his motivation in accepting the position in Keene, a city just south of Fort Worth.
“(Batla and wife Jessica) always knew their forever home would be in Keene,” she said. “That’s where they met. They went to college there, and that’s where their church was. They didn’t plan it for another eight years or so, but Keene called and offered him the job. He’ll be missed, but we’re all genuinely happy for him.”
Interim Chief Cooper was with the Lubbock Fire Department for more than 30 years before taking administrative roles at the Brenham and Moffat fire departments.
“He’s seen a lot of different communities that are similar to ours,” said Clinesmith, adding that she hopes whomever Horseshoe Bay hires as the new chief will want to stay for several years.
“We don’t want someone who is looking to serve their last two years and then retire,” she said. “Finding the balance between experience and commitment for eight to 10 years is what we’re definitely looking for.”
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Why is Chief Black still being passed over for the job? She was good enough to be selected as interim Chief before, what has changed? No one has been more devoted to Horse shoe Bay Fire than Chief Black.