Lawsuit: City of Conroe Violates State Law, Will of Local Voters by Rejecting Petition for Ballot Initiative

CONROE, TX -- With the support of thousands of local voters, Conroe firefighters are headed to court to force the City of Conroe to put collective bargaining on the May 2026 ballot. Wrong in its interpretation of state law, the city refused to accept and process the voter petition, according to the firefighters’ lawsuit filed today in state district court.

Lloyd Sandefer, president of the Conroe Professional Fire Fighters Association, said, “We’re disappointed that the mayor, city council and city attorney have chosen this unprecedented denial of a vetted, verified voter petition. We’re asking the court to order the city do what’s right and let the voters decide the issue.”

According to the lawsuit, the City demanded a submission of 20,000 voter signatures – not the 2,022 required by Texas Local Government Code Chapter 174 – in other words, five percent of the number of qualified voters voting in the preceding general election in November 2024. Firefighters submitted about 3,650 signatures on Dec. 12. Conroe firefighters provided three separate legal opinions in support of the petition submission after the city after the city attorney first refused to accept the petition on Dec. 3.

Sandefer said, “No city in Texas history has responded to a legitimate voter petition the way Conroe has. The fact is, dozens of Texas cities, large and small, have relied upon collective bargaining for decades. It’s part of Texas state law – supported by Republicans, Democrats and Independents. It’s a fair process for both the city and our firefighters – and it will not raise taxes. We’re just disappointed that the mayor and city council so far refuse to let the voters decide and they’re wasting city resources in this fight.”

The bargaining process helps put in place adequate staffing levels, which directly impacts public safety and reduces the risk of injury or death during emergency responses, Sandefer said. Collective bargaining agreements also help establish clear, consistent standards for training, equipment, and workplace safety, ensuring that fire departments meet professional benchmarks. In the last election cycle, the Texas cities of Irving, Wichita Falls, Victoria and Hurst approved collective bargaining.

“This process fosters collaboration between firefighters and management, creating a structured way to resolve disputes and maintain labor peace,” Sandefer said. “We hope the city will see it this way soon because there’s public safety work to be done in Conroe.”

The case is "Conroe Professional Fire Fighters Association v. City of Conroe, Texas, and Sami Quinlan, in her official capacity as Conroe City Secretary," Filing No. 109360217 in the District Court of Montgomery County.