Goshen pauses south fire station project; officials warn staffing cuts would damage EMS response

GOSHEN — Officials told the council at a Sept. 12 work session that Goshen has paused work on a planned south fire station and raised concerns about the effect of potential staffing cuts on fire and emergency medical services.

The mayor said the south station had been put on hold and described ongoing challenges meeting staffing goals. The fire chief (name not specified) told the council the department is handling a high call volume this year: when asked about call counts, the chief replied, "Just over 5,500." Officials cautioned that if economic stress increases it could drive more emergency calls and said the implications of a 10–20% cut to fire and EMS staff would be "really devastating," a characterization made during the budget discussion.

To address space and staffing needs, the administration said it is considering moving fire administration, currently housed in Central Station, into the county historic courthouse to create separate living and restroom facilities at one station for female firefighters. The mayor described the move as relocating fire administration to rental space in close proximity to current operations.

Officials also described potential revenue strategies for public-safety funding, including payments in lieu of taxes from nonprofit organizations and raising fees for event coverage; they emphasized these are options under consideration rather than adopted policies.

Ending — Councilors were told the administration will continue to evaluate staffing levels, facility options and revenue alternatives and may return with requests for appropriations if conditions change; no staffing reductions were approved at the work session.