The Elk River Police and Fire departments have permission to go out and find bids for expanded facilities.
Elk River City Council members gave both departments the go-ahead to get bids for expansion at the police station and at Fire Station 2 Monday night.
Police Chief Ron Nierenhausen referenced the expansion planned in 2017, when the city hired Five Bugle Designs to look at its public safety facilities. Nierenhausen told the council the police station is at a point where police want more offices and an expanded garage and want to take the next step to solidify the expansion costs and the design. Fire Chief John Dickinson added, in his response to a question from Mayor John Dietz, that the Five Bugles study “shows police have needs and the Fire Department has needs.”
He also mentioned the proposal for Station 3, which would be built on the east side of Elk River. Dietz asked if the city has land for that fire station, and Dickinson said the city has land by Twin Lakes Elementary School that has been in the Five Bugles study and has been earmarked for the project.