Cabarrus County reviews $1 million plan to co‑locate Squad 4‑10 at Allen Volunteer Fire Department

Cabarrus County commissioners convened a special meeting to gather public comment on a proposal to co‑locate County Squad 4‑10 at a new Allen Volunteer Fire Department station and to consider a county contribution capped at $1,000,000 to enlarge the building so the squad could be housed on site. County staff described the $1 million as a not‑to‑exceed figure and said the squad’s footprint would be roughly 36% of the new station — approximately 3,000 square feet — with dedicated berths, restrooms and offices and shared kitchen and day‑room space.

The issue drew divided responses from volunteer chiefs, Squad 4‑10 leadership and county staff. Randy Dozier, chief of the Allen Volunteer Fire Department, told commissioners, “there's been a misunderstanding on the stance of Allen Fire Department with this project,” and said prior remarks that Allen would “move forward with or without the county” referred to a different partnership, not the current co‑location proposal. Tim Arlacher, a 40‑year emergency‑services veteran who helped lead the former county rescue squad, characterized the original creation of Squad 4‑10 as having been “pushed down our throat,” a phrase echoed by other…