— On Tuesday, Aug. 15, State Senator Torrey Westrom (R-Alexandria) joined members of the Senate Capital Investment Committee to learn more about the City of Carlos Fire Department’s proposal for a new fire station. The group visited this project as part of the Committee’s Northwest Tour to visit projects seeking state bonding.

The City of Carlos Fire Department’s service area is 85 square miles and serves a population of approximately 2,700 residents in the City of Carlos as well as Carlos Township and Belle River Township. The fire station also offers little storage and a new station is needed to provide the space required to house all the City’s fire department and first responder equipment.  

The City of Carlos is requesting $1.6 million in state funding to construct a new 11,000 square feet fire hall, which would need to be matched by at least a 50% local match.  Although it is somewhat rare for local fire stations to receive state bonding, in some unique situations it has been done.  

The expanded space would increase bay space from three to seven, allowing for the city to store all their trucks under one building, instead of three different locations, as they currently do now.

The City of Carlos worked with the local school district to obtain six acres of property that fit the parameters for the station. The City has four years left to complete this project before they lose the land.