Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution authorizes the Madison Fire Department and City Engineering to design Fire Station 14 (MUNIS Project 17451) with additional community and testing/training area totaling 6,000 square feet, resulting in a fire station of approximately 20,000 square feet with an estimated cost of $6,750,000. The 2017 adopted capital budget includes $450,000 for design and the 2018 capital improvement plan includes 5,050,000 for construction of the station. Adoption of this resolution will add $1,250,000 to the Fire Department’s 2018 capital budget request target.
Currently the Department contracts with Madison College for the Recruit Training Academy. This includes a classroom, office space and access to the training grounds. The lease is $6000/month and ends in 2018. The Department will need to renegotiate a new contract with Madison College when it expires and some savings may be realized due to the new training space at Station 14. Any operating impacts associated with the expansion are anticipated to be de minimis.
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Authorizing the Madison Fire Department and City Engineering to design an expanded Fire Station 14 building (20,000 SF vs. 14,000 SF) that includes a larger community room and an expanded indoor area to conduct Recruit PAT’s (Physical Ability Test), Incumbent Standards and other training evolutions.
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WHEREAS the 2017 Capital Budget includes $450,000 for planning and design of Fire Station 14, including architectural and engineering consultant design services; and,
WHEREAS the projected 2018 Capital Budget includes $5,050,000 to complete construction of Fire Station 14; and,
WHEREAS the Fire Station 14 project is currently in the pre-design phase with the Project Architect (OPN Architects) and Engineering Consultant (KJWW Engineering). The design process is projected to take most of 2017 and construction is projected to start in early 2018 and be complete by the end of 2018.
WHEREAS pre-design programming meetings between the Madison Fire Department, City Engineering and the Project Architect has resulted in a ~20,000 square foot (SF) building to support an expanded community room and bay area. This would be used to support Community needs, Recruit PAT’s, Incumbent standards, and training evolutions. The authorized construction budget of $5,050,000 should fund a ~14,000 SF facility, the size of a standard fire station without the additional programming summarized above.
WHEREAS the Racial Equity and Social Justice (RESJI) analysis of the Fire Station 14 project highlighted the need for a community space in the service area.
WHEREAS integrating a larger community space into the Fire Station 14 design addresses deficiencies in the area and brings opportunities for community meetings, engagement, education, fire prevention, health services (community paramedicine), and more to be brought into the community.
WHEREAS the City’s recent fire station designs have includes a small community room of < ~1,000 SF, Fire Station 14’s community space would be >~2,000 SF to meet the goals previously stated.
WHEREAS the Madison Fire Department currently doesn’t have dedicated space for recruit testing, incumbent standards or training evolutions.
WHEREAS the lack of dedicated space for training, Recruit PAT’s, Standards evaluations increases operational costs to the Madison Fire Department and has resulted in legal issues when hiring new recruits and evaluating existing employees.
WHEREAS if this additional training space is included in this project the $6M Employee Development Center building identified as part of the site master plan study would no longer be needed, resulting in significant cost savings for the City.
WHEREAS the City’s standard fire station design includes an apparatus bay of ~ 4,500 SF, Fire Station 14’s bay would need to be ~9,000 SF to meet the goals previously stated.
WHEREAS there is no additional fee for the architect to include the additional 6,000 SF of space for the larger community and training area in the design, if it is included at the current phase (pre-design).
WHEREAS the additional 6,000 SF for larger community area, testing and training areas in this building is projected to cost appr. $1,250,000, resulting in the need for a larger project budget.
WHEREAS the Project Architect has a professional cost estimator on their team that will be providing updates at each phase of the project, therefore costs for this additional space and the overall project can be tracked and controlled.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Common Council herby authorizes the Madison Fire Department and City Engineering to design Fire Station 14 with the additional community and testing/training area totaling 6,000 SF, resulting in a fire station of ~20,000 SF with an estimated construction budget of up to $6,300,000.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Common Council understands that according to preliminary estimates, the 2018 Capital Budget for Fire Station 14 would be required to be increased from $5,050,000 to $6,300,000 ($1,250,000 of additional funds) and that additional design fees will be incurred if the design is changed later in the year.