Bettendorf council approves State Street fire station reconfiguration to create permanent EOC, sleeping quarters

The Bettendorf City Council voted 6–1 on Feb. 18 to approve a contract to reconfigure the State Street Fire Station, adding permanent upstairs sleeping quarters for fire personnel and converting a large interior room on the main level into a permanent Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

City leaders said the move will centralize incident command close to administrative and technology assets the city uses during prolonged emergencies. Fire Chief Troy Sade described the plan as the city’s next step toward a permanent, staffed EOC: “We were up here in this room, had all of our TVs, all the computers up and running, but it's time to have a permanent location,” he said.

The administration said the station is open 24 hours, already has building infrastructure that supports an EOC and makes coordination with administration and fire incident command easier. City Administrator Decker told council members that using the fire station avoids reliance on a second-floor room with windows, which “as your emergency operation center in a tornado is not a good idea.” Staff said Public Works would remain the designated secondary site and that county and regional assets would also be available if events escalated beyond the city’s capacity.

Council discussion focused on location and resiliency. Council Member Greg Jaeger opposed the contract, saying the station’s proximity to train tracks and potential flooding posed unacceptable risks. “It would make sense to me that if we're going to have an emergency command center, we would have it further away from the train tracks than 400 yards,” Jaeger said, adding that a hardened space in the new police facility might be a better long-term home for an EOC.

Supporters said having a local, primary EOC with an identified secondary site is prudent and comparatively inexpensive. Staff estimated about $40,000 for EOC furniture and related build-out costs; the sleeping-quarters build-out will be part of the same contract. IT and operations staff said the city maintains redundant communications hubs—at Public Works and at the library/museum complex—and contracts with local providers for backup connectivity.

Council Member Nick Nauman moved to add the item to the regular agenda and then moved approval of the contract; the council approved the resolution 6–1, with Jaeger voting no. Council members who voted in favor included Baden, Balzinski, Adamson, Brown, Nauman and Sechsler.

The resolution authorizes the contract to reconfigure the State Street Fire Station to provide sleeping quarters and a permanent EOC on the main level. Staff said the larger regional EOC (Scott County/EMA) would remain the principal countywide facility if a larger incident required it, and that the city’s Public Works location will be maintained as a backup system.

Council members asked staff to ensure the secondary site’s IT and equipment readiness and to confirm any additional costs beyond the furniture/build-out estimate. Staff said they will coordinate those follow-ups.

The reconfiguration will not change the city’s long-term planning for a potential new police facility; staff said the build-out at State Street is intended to be functional regardless of future referendum outcomes.