FAIRMONT– The Fairmont City Council discussed whether or not to utilize Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) funds for a fire hall feasibility study during its meeting on Monday.

Before the agenda was approved on Monday, Council Member Britney Kawecki made a motion to table the item, which was under new business, because she said the project wasn’t in the CIP and she didn’t know why the item was on the agenda. She also brought up concerns about property taxes.

Council Member Randy Lubenow asked who brought the item forward to be on the agenda. City Administrator Cathy Reynolds said she did in cooperation with the fire department.

“It never came to us as council… it’s confusing to me as to why it’s on the agenda now,” Kawecki said.

The motion to table the item failed 4-1 with Kawecki as the sole dissenting vote.

When the item came up later in the agenda, Reynolds said that the fire department is in need of some renovation work and expansion.

“In 2014 a facility assessment of the building was completed and at that time it noted several items that were needed and had a sketch of what an expansion would look like for the facility,” Reynolds said.

However, the assessment was done around the same time that the assessment on the previous public works building was done and the fire hall was put on hold. Since then, there’s been updates to safety standards and safety spaces in regards to fire halls.

“Plus equipment continues to grow and expand and the needs of the facility have changed since that 2014 assessment,” Reynolds said.

In order to make plans for the future, city staff reached out to Brunton Architects, which does work in public safety areas and has experience with fire halls, and received a quote of $24,500 to do a feasibility study.

She said now the question is whether to wait for 2024 to do the work and put it in the CIP, or do the the feasibility assessment in 2023 to build out a future CIP for the facility and the needed work.

In the current CIP, it was noted that there’s $40,000 for new face pieces which the fire department says it does not need right now. Reynolds said the item has been brought to council to approve taking the CIP funds for the face pieces and use it to complete the feasibility study.

A motion was made and seconded to approve using the CIP funds that were designated for new face pieces and to instead use the funds for the feasibility assessment.

Kawecki said that the number one concern for council should be taxes. She said it’s obvious that equipment is changing and the current building won’t be able to house it, but she took issue that the item “came out of nowhere.”

“I feel that we as council need to take a step back and start thinking how we’re going to afford to pay for all of this stuff when we have an aging population in our community that’s on a fixed budget,” Kawecki said.

Council Member Michele Miller said part of their job as councilors, along with being fiscally responsible, is to take care of the assets that that they have, including buildings.

“These people have not had a new building since the thing was built and have not complained or asked for anything and now they have a need for a different facility.. we need to take that into consideration,” Miller said.

Maynard added that taking care of citizens falls under taking care of assets.

“This study involves changes to the fire hall that are about the safety of and health of our firefighters. I can’t think of a single more important consideration than that when it comes to our fire department,” Maynard said.

He said he wasn’t unhappy that the item was on the agenda at staff’s initiative because the council depends on staff to bring items like this to council’s attention so they can be dealt with.

Kawecki said if it was anticipated this issue would be coming up, it should have been included in conversations about the budget.

“To blindside us by all of a sudden throwing this on our lap… this feasibility study is going to come back that the fire hall isn’t big enough,” Kawecki said.

In a roll call vote, the motion passed 3-2 with councilors Kawecki and Lubenow opposed.

In other news, the council approved:

— An event permit for Hope Fest to be held on July 21 and 22 at Sylvania Park.

— An event permit for Veterans Serving Veterans picnic to be held July 29 at Gomsrud Park.

— A temporary on-sale liquor license for Truman Fire Department Relief Association for a beer garden at the Martin County Fair.

— Awarding a bid of $530,080 for the 2023 overlay project to Ulland Brothers, Inc.

— A conditional use permit (CUP) for a water oriented accessory structure at 221 Krahmer Dr.

— A contract with Wold for architect services for the Sylvania Park Bandshell renovation and City Hall updates.