Surf City council hears major public-safety and utility budget requests, flags Station 25 costs

Surf City’s council spent the bulk of a work session weighing competing budget requests from public-safety and utilities departments, with several council members urging staff to seek clearer cost justification before approving large capital outlays.

The town’s Station 25 expansion carried the most immediate price tag: staff presented a guaranteed maximum price of $1,529,000 from the design-build contractor, with a potential market-escalation line of $75,000 and several contingency and line-item allowances for landscaping and site work. Kyle Brewer, who presented the project, recommended advancing the project from the town’s capital reserves (about $1.3 million on hand) but acknowledged council concerns. “We’ll go back to Doctor Reynolds and talk to them about these and provide explanation and or reduction, hopefully, reduction,” Brewer said; he committed to a supplemental memo with negotiated changes and explanations for high-cost line items.

Council member remarks framed the concern in blunt terms. One member said several line items “look way overinflated” and estimated the project could be “probably $300,000” lower if line-item costs such as steel and site prep were reduced. Staff said the contractor cited market volatility and that delaying the project could expose the town to further price increases.

Public safety asked for additional recurring resources as well. Police Chief Voorhees asked the council to fund two officers in the coming year (the staffing formula produced 1.4 officers, and the department requested two to catch up after prior shortfalls). He also requested continued investment in technology — citing an Axon in‑car camera system (about $55,000 per year under contract), additional patrol vehicles and drone capabilities with night‑vision/infrared. “If we start cutting back, and not growing with the community that we serve, that’s what we’re gonna have to do,” Voorhees said, noting sustained increases in calls for service and special-event demand.

Fire Chief Wilson outlined a multi-year staffing and capital plan tied to the Station 25 expansion: phase‑2 staffing (three captains) to operate a ladder company, replacement of onboard SCBA units (an estimated $600,000 project), and planning to procure a ladder truck that staff estimate could total $2.5–$3.0 million over a multi‑year procurement cycle. Chief Wilson said the department’s ISO class‑3 rating, rising call volumes and overlapping incidents make the investments urgent.

Utilities staff reviewed enterprise projects already under way or in design: a digester and expanded capacity ($5.3 million in construction funded largely with appropriations and system development fees), brine‑discharge permitting work, and preliminary design to double water‑treatment capacity and address PFAS-style contaminants. Utilities staff asked for an admin supervisor and additional front‑desk support to manage growing customer needs as the town’s water/wastewater service area expands.

Council did not take final votes on the major capital requests at the session. Instead, members asked staff to return with more detail: negotiated contract adjustments for Station 25, clarifications of contingency and escalation items, cost‑share or procurement options for fire apparatus, and updated cost estimates for police technical investments. The council also affirmed staff will refine budget line items for the April meeting.

The session ended without final appropriation decisions; staff were directed to prepare supplemental memos, updated cost estimates and, when applicable, procurement or grant options for council review.