# Big Spring Firemen's Relief Retirement Fund Big Spring Firemen's Relief Retirement Fund is a Pension Fund based in Big Spring, United States. ## Overview - **Organization type:** Pension Fund - **Headquarters:** Big Spring, United States - **Region:** North America - **Address:** Big Spring, TX, United States - **Assets under management:** $10M – $25M (Altss estimate) - **Website:** bigspringfire.com ## Regulatory record - **Reports private funds:** No ## About The Big Spring Firemen's Relief Retirement Fund is a defined-benefit pension plan serving firefighters in Big Spring, Texas. Established under the Texas Local Firefighters' Retirement Act, the fund's board includes the Mayor of Big Spring, Robert H. Moore III, Finance Director Sandy Smith, Chairman Paul Brown, and additional firefighter and citizen trustees. Plan administration is managed by Thomas Ferguson. The fund is an active member of the Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems (TEXPERS), where Chairman Brown also serves on the board of directors. As a small municipal pension plan with an estimated $15 million in assets (Altss estimate), the fund maintains a conservative asset allocation designed to meet near-term benefit obligations. Typical portfolios of this size and type concentrate in investment-grade fixed income, US equities, and cash equivalents, generally accessed through commingled vehicles rather than direct co-investments. Governance rests with a hybrid board that combines ex-officio city officials — the mayor and finance director — with firefighter representatives and citizen appointees. This structure, mandated by the Texas Local Firefighters' Retirement Act, is replicated across dozens of similar Texas pension plans. Chairman Paul Brown's dual role on the TEXPERS board gives the fund direct exposure to the association's educational programs, legislative advocacy, and peer-sharing forums. TEXPERS represents over 80 Texas public pension systems and provides a professional network that shapes investment policy and fiduciary practice for its member funds. Structurally, the fund differs from general-obligation municipal pensions in that it serves only firefighters and is governed by a specialized state statute rather than the Texas Municipal Retirement System. This narrow beneficiary base allows for benefit formulas calibrated to public-safety careers, which typically permit earlier retirement ages than general city employee plans. The fund's statutory isolation also limits commingling risk with broader city obligations — a feature that has protected similar Texas firefighter pensions during municipal fiscal stress. ## Sectors - Firefighter Pensions ## People - Paul Brown — Chairman, Board of Trustees - Thomas (Tommy) Ferguson — Plan Administrator - Robert H. Moore III — Trustee - Sandy Smith — Trustee ## Questions ### Who runs investment decisions at the Big Spring Firemen's Relief Retirement Fund? Investment decisions fall to the Board of Trustees, chaired by Paul Brown and including the Mayor and Finance Director of Big Spring as permanent ex-officio members. The board is bound by the fiduciary standards and governance requirements of the Texas Local Firefighters' Retirement Act. Given the fund's small size, day-to-day administration is managed by Plan Administrator Thomas Ferguson, but the specific delegation to investment consultants or external CIOs is not publicly documented. ### What is the fund's relationship with TEXPERS? The Big Spring fund is an active member of the Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems (TEXPERS), a statewide non-profit that provides trustee education, legislative advocacy, and networking for approximately 75 Texas public pension systems. Chairman Paul Brown holds a seat on the TEXPERS board of directors, giving the Big Spring fund a direct voice in association governance. The relationship primarily offers educational resources and peer-exchange opportunities rather than pooled investment vehicles. ### How are Big Spring firefighters' benefits funded? Benefits are funded through a combination of member contributions, municipal employer contributions from the City of Big Spring, and investment returns on plan assets. As a defined benefit plan, the fund carries an actuarial obligation that the city must meet regardless of investment performance, meaning any funding shortfall becomes a municipal budget line item. Specific contribution rates and funding ratios are not publicly disclosed through the fund's sparse external communications. ### Who sits on the board, and how are trustees appointed? The board includes a mix of statutory and appointed trustees under the Texas Local Firefighters' Retirement Act. Robert H. Moore III (Mayor of Big Spring) and Sandy Smith (Finance Director) serve permanently by virtue of their municipal offices. Firefighter board members are elected or appointed per the statute, and a certain number of citizen trustees are appointed to provide external oversight. Chairman Paul Brown and Plan Administrator Thomas Ferguson are the primary named points of contact in public documents. ## Related profiles - [ArtsBuild](https://altss.com/profile/artsbuild) - [Covenant Healthcare System](https://altss.com/profile/covenant-healthcare-system) --- Last updated: 2026-08-11T02:43:31.692Z Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/big-spring-firemen-s-relief-retirement-fund Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology