Decorah Council Refines Approach With Scaled-Back Fire Station, Municipal Building Plans After Failed Referendum

Every dollar helps Decorah News chase down the truth on Water Street, not just headlines. Give today. DECORAH — City officials, firefighters and rural fire trustees discussed a revised plan for a new fire station and a renovated municipal building during a recent work session Monday evening, as the Decorah City Council weighed operational needs, public expectations and rising construction costs following last year's failed referendum. The discussion centered on a narrower approach than the one rejected by voters in 2025. Rather than pursuing a larger combined project that included a new municipal office building, city staff and consultants proposed renovating the existing municipal building while constructing a new fire station on the north side of the current site. City Manager Travis Goedken said the refined direction grew directly from feedback the city received after the unsuccessful vote. "One of the biggest messages we heard from the public was that we needed one clear path forward," Goedken said during the meeting. "People wanted to know exactly what was going to be built and what would be included." The proposal discussed during the work session remains in an early planning phase. Architect Josh Gross of ISG, the firm working with the city, repeatedly emphasized that the plans presented were not finished blueprints but "box diagrams" intended to show how major spaces could function together. Goedken said the city is intentionally avoiding expensive, detailed design work before voters decide whether to support a future bond referendum. "It would be financially irresponsible for the city to invest in a full set of plans for a building we don't yet have approval to fund," he said. New fire station concept grows beyond earlier proposal The proposed fire station would be approximately 23,000 square feet, up from about 21,000 square feet discussed during the previous referendum effort. Gross said the increase came after additional conversations with firefighters about operational needs, including larger training space, improved building flow and additional office space. The station design would separate "hot" or contaminated zones from living and administrative areas for safety. The concept also includes a training room, living quarters, offices, storage space and apparatus bays. One major point of discussion involved whether the project should include a fitness room. Gross presented the fitness area as an "alternate" that could be removed if construction bids exceed the project budget. Several council members and rural fire trustees said the space supports recruitment, retention and firefighter wellness. Council members repeatedly returned to the issue of cost. Gross said ISG currently uses a rough estimate of about $500 per square foot for government construction projects, though he cautioned that exact costs will not be known until further design work and third-party cost estimating are completed. At that estimate, council members noted that even relatively small increases in square footage could add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the project. Council Member Emily Neal questioned whether some living space could be reduced to preserve features like the fitness area while lowering total costs. "I think we have to answer those questions because we're going to get those questions from the public," Neal said. Council Member Steve Zittergruen stressed that some investments could help the city retain volunteer firefighters and strengthen emergency services long term. "For me, safety is worth spending money on," Zittergruen said. "The second thing is recruitment and retention. If we don't have volunteer firefighters, we won't have a department at all." Fire Station First Floor Floor Plan. Image by ISG. Emergency shelter discussion raises broader concerns Council members also discussed whether portions of the proposed station could serve as an emergency storm shelter. Gross noted that many states require emergency facilities such as fire stations to include hardened storm shelters built to International Code Council standards, though Iowa recently removed that requirement from its building code. He said constructing an ICC 500-compliant shelter would increase costs but could improve emergency preparedness. "As a design professional, I would recommend it as good practice," Gross said. The discussion reflected broader concerns about severe weather and emergency readiness following recent storms across the region. Still, Gross cautioned that emergency shelters are typically separated from active emergency response operations. "Operationally, you typically don't want displaced residents in the same location where emergency services are trying to work," he added. Rural fire trustees seek stronger voice in project The meeting also highlighted the importance of maintaining support from rural fire partners, whose residents account for roughly half of the department's service calls. Goedken invited rural fire trustees to attend the discussion after acknowledging concerns that they had not been sufficiently included in previous conversations. Council members repeatedly emphasized that another referendum campaign would likely fail without support from both city and rural stakeholders. Zittergruen indicated that rural residents played a significant role in shaping public opinion during the previous referendum campaign. Council members asked firefighters and trustees to review future revisions carefully and identify any spaces they believe are unnecessary or excessive before the city advances to more detailed cost estimates. "It's nice to see that we have something on paper besides what we want here," one trustee said. "At least something after [years] of trying to build a fire station." Firefighter and Engineer Jeff Ode said he appreciated efforts to separate living quarters from operational spaces and supported maintaining a fitness area if possible. Municipal building renovation shifts council chambers The work session also included extensive discussion about renovations to the existing municipal building. Under the proposal, council chambers would move into the area currently occupied by the fire station bays. Gross said the redesigned chambers would improve lighting, security and public access while also providing Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant access to the dais. The concept also includes a boardroom, public entrance, storage areas, expanded office space and room for public works and engineering staff to eventually return to the building. Council members debated whether the boardroom should remain a separate room or be incorporated into a larger council chamber space capable of hosting larger public meetings. Officials also discussed whether the old apparatus bay should be demolished entirely. Gross said the structure has plumbing, drainage and contamination concerns associated with decades of fire service use. "Garages in general, and particularly fire station garages, are filled with carcinogens," Gross said. He said renovating the existing bay space would likely cost more than demolition while still producing relatively limited functionality. Removing the structure would also improve traffic flow and visibility around the site, particularly for emergency vehicles responding to calls. City Hall First Floor Floor Plan. Image by ISG Timeline aimed at 2026 referendum City Manager Travis Goedken outlined a tentative timeline that would bring updated plans and cost estimates back to the council by early summer. Under the proposed schedule, the city would continue refining layouts through June and July before potentially approving referendum language in August. Officials said one lesson from last year's failed effort was that the city did not spend enough time educating the public before the vote. Council members discussed holding public meetings before formally launching another referendum campaign so residents could ask questions about specific design choices and project costs. "There's a certain amount to be learned," Neal said. "If we have some picking apart prior to any launch of it, I think that would be beneficial come fall, because I do think we're going to be looking at a big price tag no matter what we do." Council members also discussed creating a stakeholder or advisory group involving firefighters, rural trustees and possibly community representatives to help shape future revisions and improve communication with voters. Gross said ISG plans to keep the project at a conceptual level until city leaders determine whether there is enough support to proceed. "We're trying to go as slow as possible," he said. "You will not see elevations. You won't see 3D views. All you will see is a floor plan." Council members did not make formal decisions during the work session. Stay connected and informed! Join the free newsletter for curated news, trending topics, and insider perspectives you won't find anywhere else.