City staff and the fire department described multiple capital projects for fire facilities at the July 19 budget work session, including renovation work tied to Fire Station 10 and a proposed full replacement of Fire Station 5 due to foundation subsidence.

Why this matters: Replacement or major renovation of fire stations affects emergency response capacity and capital spending; the council asked staff for further detail about contingency plans if a site is found unsuitable and whether alternative city‑owned parcels might be available.

The fire chief reported that Fire Station 5 is about 50 years old and ‘‘sinking’’ and that preliminary engineering and predictive analysis identified subsidence as a concern. Staff said the station’s location remains well positioned for current and projected response needs on the city’s north side, and that the preferred action is to replace the existing facility at the site if subsurface conditions permit. The chief said the city has begun limited renovation work for an interim fire marshal’s building on an adjacent church property and is proceeding with planning for a new Station 10 on the same lot.

Council members pressed staff on contingency plans if soil or underground risks prevent rebuilding at the same site. Staff said they would run scenario models using predictive planning tools and first check whether any city‑owned parcels were acceptable alternatives; only if no suitable city property exists would staff pursue the outside market. The city manager said the council will get a fuller presentation on capital projects and the CIP at the next capital meeting.

Staff said funding for the work would come from the capital improvement sales tax fund and that some renovation items are already in the FY26 capital program. Council members also asked for clearer site identifiers and timing; staff committed to follow up with addresses and timeline details.

Ending: Staff flagged that capital‑project approvals and funding will be part of upcoming CIP hearings; they committed to provide specific project scopes, estimated costs and contingency plans before final budget adoption.