Board of Public Works approves RFP to develop master plan for Marshfield Fire & Rescue training center

MARSHFIELD, Wis. — The Board of Public Works on March 3 approved a request for proposals to produce a comprehensive master plan for the Marshfield Fire & Rescue training center, a 5-acre site at 2615 South Vine that the department has used since February 2003.

Fire Chief Everett Mueller, who presented the proposal, said the plan will guide phased facility upgrades and address safety, certification and regional training needs. Mueller told the board the department handled 3,543 calls in 2024 and that the system’s peak year was 2022, when calls totaled 4,074. He said the center supports live-fire, vehicle extrication, hazardous materials and technical-rescue training and is a regional resource for mutual-aid partners and Mid State Technical College.

Mueller said the department needs a master plan to map utilities, improve roads and hydrants, update aging burn-room materials and make facilities compliant with applicable standards. He described difficulty obtaining a required five-year certification for the burn room without renovations, and cited NFPA 1402 and OSHA standards discussed during the presentation as guiding documents for training-center facilities. He recommended the city solicit proposals and that the selection committee include representatives from the police and fire commission and the Common Council.

Why it matters: Marshfield’s training site is used by multiple departments in the region and by Mid State Technical College for technician instruction. The master plan would aim to allow phased expansion, increase realistic training capability (including a potential three-story training tower and urban-search-and-rescue rubble pile), and make the site safer for trainees and instructors.

Details and timeline: Mueller told the board the RFP would be disseminated March 12 if approved; proposals would be due by 12 p.m. April 18, staff review would occur April 21–25, the Board would recommend a proposal to the Common Council on May 5, the council would act May 11, agreements would be signed May 14–16, notice to proceed issued May 19, and the final comprehensive plan delivered no later than Sept. 1. Estimated consultant fees for the plan were cited at about $25,000–$35,000. The department’s 410 project account currently holds roughly $72,000, and Mid State Technical College contributes $25,000 a year under a collaborative agreement that combined to $50,000 per year in contributions for the program.

Mueller identified several specific capital needs discussed during the presentation: a new roof and renovations to meet certification requirements (previous estimates cited in the presentation put a new roof at about $20,000 and burn-room renovations at roughly $40,000), replacement of degraded natural-gas piping for props, electrical and lighting upgrades, improved access roads capable of supporting large apparatus and additional hydrants across the site. He said a three-story training tower could cost in the range of $500,000 to $1.1 million, depending on design.

Board discussion and funding options: Board members asked whether the consultant would evaluate whether the current site is the “highest and best use” and whether it would objectively recommend relocation if appropriate; Mueller said site analysis and feasibility are part of the RFP scope and that a consultant could recommend an alternate site. Board member Derek asked how the plan fits the current capital improvement plan and what the city’s fallback would be if grants were not available; Mueller said the department’s CIP includes an annual contribution that goes to the 410 account, that the preference is to pursue grants and phased work, and that long-term debt would be a last-resort funding option.

Action: A motion to approve the RFP solicitation was made and seconded; the board approved the motion by voice vote and the chair announced the motion carried. The board recorded no roll-call tally in the meeting transcript.

Mueller closed the presentation by inviting board members to tour the facility and asking for questions.

Ending note: If the consultant recommends major changes, the timeline presented would allow the city and selection committee to consider relocation, phased construction or public–private funding options identified in the RFP process.