JCFD looks to move forward on facilities' needs

Fire Station No. 2 on East McCarty Street was opened in the 1970s.
Fire Station No. 2 on East McCarty Street was opened in the 1970s.

The Jefferson City Fire Department is looking to move forward on needed station repairs, with the largest planned project being the potential remodel, rebuild or relocation of Fire Station No. 2.

At the Public Safety Committee meeting Thursday, Fire Chief Matt Schofield said the department has completed several smaller projects to repair issues at city fire stations, and they are ready to begin looking for professional assistance on three of the larger projects.

One would be a very small addition to Fire Station No. 4, on Ellis Boulevard, for additional bathrooms, but Schofield said the addition would not significantly alter the station's footprint.

Another would be looking at the potential future Fire Station No. 6, which would be built on land near the new St. Mary's Hospital on Mission Drive, which the hospital donated to the city and county for a public safety station. That donation does have a time constraint specifying the station be built within 12 years of the hospital's dedication. The new hospital officially opened in 2014.

Schofield said the station itself likely wouldn't happen until the next installment of the city's half-cent capital improvement sales tax, but the department would like to get preliminary numbers on projected costs, as well as work done to identify the right site.

However, the more immediate issue would be looking at the potential remodel, rebuild or relocation of Fire Station No. 2 on East McCarty Street.

"All three would be on the table," Schofield said. "That's really probably the big ticket item."

Built in 1970, the fire station is the second oldest in the city now that Fire Station No. 3 has been replaced. Fire Station No. 4 is the oldest, being built in 1969.

According to a facility review done in 2011, station No. 2 had a lack of office space, inadequate equipment and gear storage, inadequate restroom and shower facilities, no workout room, too small of a kitchen, a need for a larger meeting room, a need for a better vehicle exhaust system, inadequate apparatus space, no bunks or restrooms for female firefighters and a need for a clean room and storage area for emergency medical services.

The review stated "while additions and renovations can be made to upgrade it, the cost for those should be weighed against the current age and overall value of the building in comparison to replacing the building."

Schofield said the department would like to put all three projects together in one request for qualifications. Though the committee took no action on the item, Schofield said he thought the committee expressed support for the request to go to the full City Council.