The Zionsville Safety Board voted 5–0 on July 21 to adopt Resolution 2025-01, a nonbinding acceptance of a consultant-produced fire station feasibility report that recommends pursuing land acquisition and planning for new stations as the town grows.

The action matters because the feasibility study outlines locations, costs and timing that could change how the town provides fire coverage, particularly as the Perry Township Volunteer Fire Department has indicated it may dissolve and transfer coverage responsibilities.

Chief Gorder summarized Wolpert’s final report and said the study recommended three main steps: aggressively pursue land acquisition, plan for new fire-station locations in the town’s service area, and develop maintenance plans for existing facilities. He noted the report does not require the board, the town council or the mayor to build stations; "it is not meant to bind either this board, the council, or the mayor in having to do anything," he said.

Heather Harris, legal counsel to the board, and Chief Gorder told members they had discussed the resolution with the mayor’s office and council leadership and that those officials are generally supportive of the nonbinding acceptance. Chief Gorder described the selection process for the consultant: six firms submitted proposals in March, a selection team including the mayor, a councilor and a safety-board member vetted candidates and unanimously recommended Wolpert.

Board members asked about the Perry Township Volunteer Fire Department and the potential service gap. Chief Gorder said Perry Township’s administration has indicated it is "ready to dissolve," that discussions have included using proceeds from liquidating three privately owned Perry Township parcels to help fund construction, and that initial parcels are adjacent to State Road 267. He said no final decisions are in place and emphasized the town does not own those parcels.

Chief Gorder described near-term work that would not require the large-scale construction the study outlines: a smaller apparatus-bay expansion at Fire Station 292 is scheduled for the plan commission that evening and is considered a lower-cost, short-term priority. He contrasted that with the larger Fire Station 91 project, saying current construction estimates are $18,000,000 and that, if delayed two years, costs could rise five to ten percent — "we could be looking at that construction costs around $20,000,000," he said.

Chief Gorder said the department has letters of interest signed by two property owners for potential land purchase and that the town council will be asked in August to consider funding mechanisms to buy land. He warned that Perry Township volunteers had requested an earlier exit timetable than the department had originally planned and that the town is preparing for a possible coverage transition within roughly a year to a year and a half.

Board member discussion emphasized that the resolution affirms the report but does not bind future councils or administrations to specific construction or spending. A board member moved to adopt Resolution 2025-01; Jeff Papa seconded the motion. The board then voted and the resolution passed 5–0.

The board did not adopt immediate construction funding; members and staff said subsequent approvals by the town council, potential bonding and project-specific council actions would be required before any station construction begins. The chief and legal counsel characterized the resolution as an early planning step and said additional review, funding decisions and public approvals will follow.

Less-urgent items discussed included timing for a parks/DPW project that could affect space for raised fire facilities and the department's plan to pursue multiple funding and siting steps over several years.