Resident criticizes proposed Fire Station 2 expansion; public safety committee presents two options

A Germantown resident told the Village Board he viewed a proposed renovation and expansion of Fire Station 2 as excessive and urged the board to consider more modest changes rather than a full replacement.

Wyatt Weir told the board he has lived in Germantown 29 years and said the 11‑bed volunteer station originally built years ago could have been adapted rather than proposing a multi‑bedroom, full‑service facility. Weir said he reviewed a proposal he understood would include at least 10 bedrooms to house up to 20 people, six showers and a fitness center at an estimated cost of $6,000,000, and called that scope “more a want, not a need.” He also criticized routine non‑emergency uses of apparatus and urged the village to consider repurposing space in Station 1 instead of building a second large facility.

At the public safety committee meeting earlier, members reviewed two options for renovation and expansion and recommended additional discussion and review rather than selecting a single option. Trustee Metcuz noted the committee saw “pluses and minuses” to both options and recommended further conversation before a final board decision.

Why it matters: capital spending on fire stations affects the village budget and future operating costs; trustees said the committee—s recommendation is to continue deliberation and bring more detail back to the board before making an expenditure decision.

No formal action was taken on the station project at the board meeting; the public safety committee will continue evaluating options, and trustees asked staff to return with additional detail on scope, cost estimates and how the project would change staffing or service delivery.