Resident questions need for new fire station, cites training alternatives; council notes study-only status

A Lenexa resident asked the City Council why the city is studying a large new fire station for northeast Lenexa and urged officials to explore shared training with neighboring departments instead of building a state-of-the-art facility.

Gaylene Van Horn, a longtime northeast Lenexa resident, told the council the proposal for a multi-bay station with live-fire training capabilities appeared to duplicate existing regional resources. Van Horn noted the Gleeson Station houses cross-staffed apparatus, a brush truck and a water-rescue boat and said the Olathe Fire Academy, which opened in 2021, already provides “Class A live fire burn rooms” used by Olathe and neighboring districts.

Why it matters: capital facility projects and live-fire training facilities can carry high construction and operating costs. Van Horn asked whether the city had explored co-operation with neighboring agencies to reduce cost and duplication.

What the council said: Mayor Julie Sayers and staff responded that the proposed fire station itself was not included in the FY2026 budget and that the public would receive additional information; staff previously had said the fire station study would cost about $400,000 and would analyze needs and site planning. The mayor indicated staff had answered follow-up questions by email.

Next steps: No formal council action on building a station was taken during the meeting. The matter remains in the discussion and planning phase; the transcript shows the city will provide additional information in response to the public’s questions.