Germantown committee approves renovation and expansion of Fire Station 2, forwards project to village board

Germantown’s Public Safety Committee voted unanimously to approve a renovation and expansion project for Fire Station 2 and forward the proposal to the village board for further review and budgeting. The committee approved the project without selecting one of the two design alternatives presented.

The project matters because the department says the current Edison Drive station was not built to support a full-time, single-station operation and has health, safety and operational deficiencies that the department and its consultants say need prompt attention. Updated cost estimates rose from the roughly $5.2 million figure presented last year to about $6.5 million, driven by construction inflation, newly identified repairs and owner‑furnished items included in the latest estimates.

Staff and consultants presented two alternatives: an “East” expansion that would add bunk and support space to the east side of the apparatus bays, and a “North/Northwest” option that would add space on the northwest corner to preserve longer-term room for additional apparatus bays. The report said the two options are closer in cost than previously expected; department leadership indicated a preference for the East option because it allows phased work to be done with less operational disruption.

Firefighters and department leadership gave the committee a detailed account of the station’s conditions. A written submission from Germantown Firefighters Local 4854 said the Edison Drive station opened in February 2001 and was not built to serve as the department’s sole full‑time station. The union letter said kitchen finishes and cabinetry are deteriorated, bunk rooms are too small, storage and office space is critically limited and mold has been found in walls and HVAC equipment. At the meeting the fire chief said, “We don’t even meet our own fire codes” and described insulation and window‑sill deterioration and recurring leaks that have contributed to mold concerns.

Fire department staffing and operations were central to the conversation. The department is staffed 24/7 from Edison Drive, and the committee heard that the department runs mutual aid frequently; the chief told the committee the department has provided mutual aid 15 times this year and received mutual aid 27 times, and that the department had run just over 1,400 calls as of July 31. The consultants noted that NFPA guidance and operational needs make certain staffing levels and crew rotations necessary for structure fires, and that additional bunk and support space would address current operational shortfalls.

Trustees debated long‑term flexibility. Trustee Baum argued that the northwest option preserves room for future apparatus bays and future expansion, while others said the east option would allow work to proceed with less disruption because crews could move into the new space while the old sections are renovated. The committee agreed to send the project to the village board so consultants can respond to the expansion‑flexibility question and the board can consider budget and timing.

The project was already included in the village five‑year capital plan, the packet noted: design work was planned for 2025 and construction for 2026, and the village’s earlier borrowing approved this spring included $500,000 to begin design work this year. The committee voted unanimously to approve the renovation and expansion request as presented; the item will not be placed on village board consent so board members can address outstanding questions.

Next steps: the item will be presented to the village board for further review and potential budget authorization; staff said they will ask the consultant team to respond to the committee’s questions about long‑term expansion options and construction phasing.