Fairfax council approves up to $1.6 million loan from Marin County for Fire Station 21 remodel

Fairfax Town Council on Oct. 15 authorized the town manager to execute a loan agreement with Marin County not to exceed $1,600,000 to complete a remodel of Fire Station 21 and to fund temporary accommodations for firefighters during construction.

The loan decision follows a multi-month planning effort by town staff and the Ross Valley Fire Authority. Public Works Director Kristen Arnold said the project budget reflects detailed cost estimates, allowances for temporary housing and construction contingencies. “Our goal with this cost estimate was to capture all possible costs and include everything that we may need to complete this project,” Arnold said during the council presentation.

Why it matters: the station, built in 1974, was designed for two personnel and has not had major upgrades in decades. Fire Chief Dan Mahoney told the council the remodel will add a third sleeping quarter and a second bathroom to support a three-person engine company the department moved to earlier this year, allow on-site decontamination between incidents and bring the facility closer to modern firefighter health and operational standards. “This will allow firefighters to come back,…