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Fire Chief Kapler stated staff has researched the best location for the new fire station and believe <br />the property the City owns is the best location related to north/south and east /west routes. In <br />addition, he does not believe the City's Fire Department will become full time any time soon and <br />this is a good location to pull fire fighters. <br />Councilmember LeTourneau stated he thinks there would be a need for a new fire station based <br />on the need of public safety and that consideration is unrelated to whether to sell the old City <br />Hall property or its future use. <br />Mayor Strommen stated another issue is that the Fire Department is located within the old City <br />Hall, which impacts its future use. <br />City Administrator Ulrich stated when this process was started, all the options were considered <br />and that included a remodel of the City Hall. He stated the old City Hall sits in the middle of a <br />17 -acre parcel and it was found that in the long run, it was more cost effective to relocate the fire <br />station to the property the City owns. <br />Councilmember LeTourneau stated he heard comments that the City was considering a data <br />center to pay for a new fire station but he thinks Fire Station #2 is needed to serve public safety. <br />Fire Chief Kapler clarified that the discussion of moving the fire station location started long <br />before the option of a data center came up. <br />Councilmember Kuzma asked if the cities considering shared fire services will contribute to the <br />cost of a new fire station. <br />Fire Chief Kapler stated anything is possible and cost -share models are currently under review. <br />He stated the issues of who owns buildings, equipment, and pays for maintenance is an issue in <br />how to divide costs equitably between all members that consolidate. He stated he will bring that <br />issue before the Study Group for discussion. <br />City Administrator Ulrich stated the timing should also be flexible because the next six months <br />to a year will involve an in -depth analysis of shared fire services. <br />Mayor Strommen stated that is a broader discussion of how costs are allocated for operations as <br />well as building and equipment, which should play out in the Study Group. <br />Fire Chief Kapler stated with this consolidation, the question of whether Ramsey needs to <br />rebuild comes up. He stated the consultant hired in 2013 and the ISO agent were contacted and <br />the consultant thought the City's four fire stations were the right number and in the right location <br />considering the four communities under discussion for joint services. Apparatus within the <br />stations is different because two of the communities feel they have more apparatus than needed. <br />Councilmember Backous asked if the old City Hall property has a posted "For Sale" sign. <br />City Council Work Session / October 8, 2013 <br />Page 3 of 7 <br />