Germantown committee prefers exploring combined police‑fire facility, asks staff to run site analysis and arrange tours

The Village of Germantown Public Safety Committee on an agenda item called for staff to analyze combined and separate police‑and‑fire facility options, prioritize locations that maintain fire coverage and schedule site tours of comparable facilities, but took no formal vote on construction or funding.

The discussion matters because a new or remodeled public safety facility would affect emergency response coverage, long‑term capital budgets and where emergency services operate in Germantown. Committee members asked staff to present options sized for growth through 2050, consider all village properties and identify costs and timelines before any decision.

Chief Elaine (on Webex) told the committee that “for the fire department, it’s not a concern of if it’s a combined building or separate buildings. … the location is what drives the fire department.” Chief Martin (police chief) said a combined building could provide limited shared space but that security and locked areas limit day‑to‑day sharing: “the only thing that could possibly be shared would be a training room,” Martin said. Fire Chief Delaine described a strategy of a main station with satellite stations and supported trimming a large plan down to about 26,000 square feet to meet needs through midcentury.

Committee members recommended using a 2050 planning horizon as a starting point but said staff should model additional horizons if the board requests them. Members noted examples offered by consultants — West Bend and Watertown stations reported in the presentation at roughly 40,000–41,000 square feet — and that the consultant team suggested a 7–8 acre parcel for a combined site. Trustees mentioned Friedenfeld Park as a candidate and also noted recently discussed privately owned parcels, including an Ascension‑owned site.

The committee asked staff to: 1) analyze both combined and separate facility options with cost estimates and timelines; 2) prioritize sites that meet fire response coverage for the northeastern and eastern parts of the village; 3) consider village‑owned property and other available parcels; 4) continue evaluation of an expansion of Fire Station 2 as a complementary project; and 5) arrange visits for committee members to recently completed and under‑construction combined facilities (members discussed Jackson, Mequon and Washington as possible tours) and hold at least one future committee meeting at existing station sites so the public may attend and inspect conditions. Staff noted construction and design will take years and that the committee’s input will guide next steps.

No ordinance, bond or appropriation was proposed or approved during the discussion; committee members framed the item as guidance for staff and consultants rather than a formal decision. The committee set no timetable for a final recommendation and requested cost and site analyses before any formal action.