(The Center Square) — The Shreveport City Council received an update on Fire Station No. 20 back in March, and is now prepared to discuss allocating $1.6 million from other appropriations to complete the station.
Station 20 is currently operating out of a temporary station after initially closing down back in August 2023. Mold and mildew were found throughout the structure, posing potential health hazards to the firefighters working there. Now nearly a year and a half later, the city council looks to allocate the funds estimated by Fire Chief Clarence Reese.
Two fund allocation ordinances are up for review by the city council this week. Ordinance 20 seeks to amend the General Fund Budget. The final passage of both ordinances is April 8, and if passed, $1.6 million will be moved from the city’s General Fund budget to the Capital Projects Fund to rehabilitate Station 20. Ordinance 21 amends the Capital Projects Fund in order to allocate the $1.6 million appropriately.
Back in March, Reese estimated the new station to cost between $1.5 million to $1.6 million. “Whatever you need and whatever the administration needs for us to get the funding, I think the council is 100% behind getting that station up,” said Councilman Grayson Boucher in a previous council meeting.
The city plans to invoice the port for $867,136. Bids will not be sent out until those funds are received.
The inoperable condition of Station 20 poses problems, and some council members are worried if it continues to be closed, the port could give away important and valuable contracts.
“We have a contractual agreement with the port, and they’re already about to give another service to another municipality. They could just as well contract another municipality to do that,” said Councilman Boucher previously.
Residents in the area continue to have concerns over fires starting in the neighborhoods while a station is not very close to the area. The last update Chief Reese gave said that the temporary station location required a bit of site work, including SB2 rock, electricity, and moving water. There were also problems getting trucks in and out due to malfunctions with the garage doors.
It is unclear as of now how long the project will take once funds are allocated.
