Breckenridge pauses demolition, directs staff to pursue grants for new fire station

The Breckenridge City Commission voted to pause demolition of the century-old municipal building that houses the city’s fire operations and directed staff to pursue grants and other funding to build a new fire station at an appropriate location.

The decision came after more than two hours of public comment and a lengthy staff summary of options. City staff and an ad hoc committee had reviewed renovating the existing building, building a new metal shelter on the current site, or acquiring a different parcel. Cynthia (staff member and ad hoc committee representative) summarized the committee’s work, saying it had considered phased temporary housing, demolition and new construction, and feasibility estimates before recommending next steps.

Why it matters: Commissioners and residents said firefighters are living in substandard conditions, raising health and safety concerns that many called urgent. Commissioners also said the city’s capital needs (water, sewer, streets) limit available local funding, so outside grants and a mixed funding approach will be required to build a new station.

City staff presented cost estimates and feasibility findings discussed by the committee: a new metal building on a new slab was estimated at about $2.2 million; a remodel of the existing municipal building was estimated at about $1.1 million in base costs but could rise to roughly $1.7 million when architect, engineering and higher contingencies for unknowns are included. A demolition estimate in one consultant report was roughly $577,000; the commission discussed a local contractor bid of about $197,000 (another local demolition quote cited $197,000 and a separate written bid of $197,000 was referenced). The city also reported paying roughly $12,000 for the feasibility study. Commissioners and speakers noted a recurring annual maintenance cost for an unused historic building of roughly $15,000–$20,000 per year.

Public commenters included local business owners, retired firefighters and on-duty firefighters. Christy Williams, a local business owner and building renovator, urged preservation and phased rehabilitation, saying a remodel could create opportunities tied to the building’s historic character. By contrast, several current and retired firefighters — including Marvin Williams, Will Ward (retired firefighter), Richard Russell and David Easley (retired captain) — said the building’s condition (leaking roof, rotten floors, plumbing and wiring problems, mold and asbestos) makes it unsuitable for modern firehouse needs and recommended replacing it. "We're all sick...the asbestos, the mold," Jose Garcia, identified in the record as a Breckenridge fire captain, told the commission, citing health effects he and other firefighters reported after returning from shifts.

Speakers and commissioners also discussed nonfinancial barriers and regulatory steps. A member of the public noted the Texas Antiquities Code (identified in the meeting as a statutory requirement) requires the municipality to notify the state historical authority before demolition; that process can add review and steps even if demolition proceeds. Commissioners noted OSHA and NFPA guidelines were raised in public comment as factors that the historic building would struggle to meet for modern egress, living quarters and operational standards.

On the policy side, the ad hoc committee had earlier recommended a three-phase approach: (1) place temporary living quarters on site; (2) demolish the existing building; (3) construct a modest metal building at the current footprint. After the feasibility study, staff and several commissioners said financing and the risk of unknown remodel costs made the remodel option less attractive. Commissioners discussed alternative sites adjacent to County or law-enforcement parcels and the need to remain centrally located for response times.

The formal motion approved by the commission reads, in substance: pause demolition of the existing facility and move forward with finding grants and other funding to build a new fire station at any suitable location. The motion was seconded and approved in open session; no opposition was voiced on the record. The commission directed staff to continue grant work and to study location options, while postponing a final decision about demolition to a later meeting once funding and a site are clearer.

The commission also held a closed executive session later in the meeting to consult with legal counsel under Texas Government Code section 551; no further action was reported after reconvening.

The vote and directions recorded in this meeting leave the following immediate items for staff and commissioners: pursue grant funding and county or other partnerships to support construction; maintain the temporary housing solution for firefighters in the short term; evaluate potential alternative sites while placing demolition on hold pending future commission action.