BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL HOLDS FIRE STATION MEETING

  

The Brenham City Council held an informal workshop meeting Monday morning to get an update on the new Fire Station.  Council members heard from both former Interim Fire Chief Rhea Cooper and Current Brenham Fire Chief Roger Williams on the issue. They talked about how important the response time is to the department.  In 2021, the city traded the proposed 3 acre site on South Chappell Hill Street to Baker Katz, for a 5 acre site further east, in the Brenham Business Center.  The new location would provide better access to Highway 290 and Loop 577.  They also talked about the ISO rating for the city, and how that effects insurance rates.  The current ISO rating is Class 3, awarded just this year by the organization.  To switch to a Class 2 rating would mean an 8 to 9 percent savings on everyone’s fire insurance policy, which having a 2nd Fire Station would play a big part.

The good news is the city will not require any new apparatus for the new station.  The bad news is they will require at least 9 new firefighters to man the station.  The next question is where to build it.  The short answer is on the five acres set aside on the south side of town.  That would put it close to commercial development such as the new Baker Katz property, Highway 290, and the Brenham State Supported Living Center.  But it would leave long response times to the new residential developments on the north side of town and Blinn College.  Fire Chief Roger Williams was asked where he would locate a station on the north side of town. He replied that the Fire Department has already been in talks with the owner of the property across from Brenham Elementary School and they were agreeable in selling 5 acres of property.  At this point, Council member Atwood Kenjura asked about the maps showing rooftops covered across Brenham.  They were based on data that was before the recent developments.  Kenjura asked that they be updated and presented to Council again so they can decide where to build the station.

The cost of the new Fire Station is estimated to be $6.5 million.  The city will issue $10 million in 20 year Certificates of Obligation early next year to cover the cost.  The city has proposed leaving the tax rate the same in 2023, so they will have to look at raising the tax rate to cover the cost of the COs.   Council members informally agreed on building only one new Fire Station at this time and will wait for the updated roofs covered maps before saying where to build it.