Staff seek $300,000 more for temporary fire station—and a rent fix

Sandy Springs staff are asking City Council for two budget fixes for Temporary Fire Station No. 1: another $300,000 for the build-out and $216,000 for rent that the interim fire chief says was not included in the adopted fiscal 2027 budget. Both changes, along with a proposed $515,000 construction contract, are scheduled for consideration Nov. 3.⁠[1][2]

The temporary facility at 8615 Roswell Road is intended to keep fire and emergency response services operating while the existing station at 1425 Spalding Drive is demolished and replaced. Staff say the temporary site must be ready for occupancy before demolition begins.⁠[1]

Staff recommend awarding the build-out to F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates, the lowest of three bidders. Its $515,000 bid compares with $567,098 from Diversified Construction of Georgia and $990,000 from Integrity CRR.⁠[1]

The proposed construction contract exceeds the project's available balance of $262,401.50. Staff propose moving $300,000 from capital contingency to cover the project and associated costs, using existing capital resources rather than requiring another transfer from the General Fund.⁠[1]

Rent is a separate budget issue. Staff propose redirecting $534,500 originally budgeted for payments on an aerial truck and an engine. According to the interim chief's memo, the final financing terms mean no apparatus payment is required in FY2027. Of that money, $216,000 would fund temporary-station rent and $318,500 would go to general contingency, without increasing the overall FY2027 budget.⁠[1]

The lease itself is not the new request: the facilities report says the city entered a two-year agreement with JAT Partners on May 1. The decisions now before council concern fitting out the space and funding the temporary arrangement.⁠[1][2]

The Nov. 3 council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Studio Theatre at Sandy Springs City Hall, 1 Galambos Way. The construction award and both budget amendments are proposals, not completed council approvals.⁠[2]