Fire chief urges consultant study after mold, window and brick problems at Station 1

Fire Station 1 has been made safe after mold remediation, but further exterior failures mean the city faces choices about repair, renovation or replacement, the fire chief told the finance committee.

The fire chief (S4) said the mold issue has been addressed and personnel have returned to the building, but water testing found leaking windows and cracked brick columns. A contractor's email estimate put the brick-column work at about $25,000 (written estimate pending), and contractors quoted $102,009.67 to replace windows, interior drywall and cabinetry damaged by water. Because additional conditions have appeared as repairs began, S4 recommended hiring an architectural consultant to perform a needs analysis, response-time mapping and options assessment so the council can choose among repairing the existing station, enlarging the footprint or planning and designing a new station.

S4 summarized three paths the consultant would analyze and deliver within a few months ahead of budget discussions: (A) fund repairs to make the station usable (windows, brick repairs, doors and contingency); (B) fund design and blueprints for an expanded footprint; or (C) begin planning and community outreach for a new station. "The recommendation was to replace all the windows on the building," S4 said, and noted the city has roughly $20,000 left in the capital allocation for the site. Committee members asked for formal written estimates, warranty details and clarity about whether the $25,000 figure was per column; S4 said the $25,000 was an initial emailed quote and staff would return with detailed bids and consultant proposals before any borrowing or capital commitment.

No formal decision was made; the committee directed staff to secure written estimates, confirm warranties and bring consultant proposals and detailed cost breakdowns to a future meeting so any inclusion in a borrowing plan is supported by documented quotes.