Decorah voters said yes to a $20.9 million bond that will fund a new fire station and expand the city's municipal building, with officials pointing to years of cramped quarters, a sinking floor, and safety concerns at the current station as reasons the project finally gained traction at the ballot box.
The measure received about 61.5% of the vote, clearing the 60% threshold required to pass, according to The Gazette. A 2025 assessment had determined severe structural issues with the existing station, which the paper reported was too small to store the department's equipment on site and lacked both decontamination space and a gear room. Firefighters and city officials say the building's shortcomings have been obvious for years, but it took a renewed push to finally convince enough voters.
According to Iowa's News Now, the Decorah Fire Department has had spacing issues that prevent safe equipment and gear storage, and those spacing issues have created safety concerns and slower response times. The outlet reported that the current station doesn't allow firefighters to open two truck doors at once without the vehicles hitting each other, and that the floor of the existing building is sinking.
Gear, Carcinogens, and a Cramped Building
First Assistant Chief Mike Ashbacher said firefighters' gear gets saturated with potential carcinogens after calls, and that the department wants to eliminate that exposure, per Iowa's News Now. Ashbacher said the potential carcinogen exposure could pose a risk when the public visits for tours, and he said many people were surprised by the space limitations once they saw the building firsthand. Open houses were held to show residents the current state of the facility ahead of the vote.
Jeff Clement, who has served as a firefighter for 25 years, said the city cares about its volunteer firefighters and that the new station will let them store all their equipment in one building, according to the same report. Clement said conversations around the bond gained momentum within the last two years, after years of advocating for a new building. He added that the new fire station could help reduce response times and help firefighters reach calls more quickly, and that it may also boost recruitment for the volunteer department.
A Second Try After an Earlier Rejection
The bond's passage follows a failed attempt in which Decorah residents voted down a proposed $18.8 million bond for fire station and city office upgrades, according to the Decorah Leader. Unofficial election-night figures from that earlier vote showed 1,414 ballots against the bond and only 1,026 in favor. City referendum materials for the 2025 measure had proposed issuing general obligation bonds of up to $18,880,000 for municipal fire protection, city hall, and parks and recreation facilities, per the City of Decorah.
The newly approved $20.9 million bond will allocate $15 million to the new fire station, with the remainder going toward city hall upgrades including ADA compliance, according to Iowa's News Now. The new station is expected to be roughly 23,000 square feet and located not too far from the original facility. The report noted that groundbreaking and completion dates are still being worked out. The municipal building expansion is intended to replace the roof, HVAC system, and other outdated building systems, and to expand meeting spaces, The Gazette reported.
A Statewide Staffing Squeeze
The vote comes as Iowa's volunteer fire departments continue to struggle with recruitment. The Decorah Fire Department had 29 firefighters as of a recent count, six short of a full roster, according to its public information officer, as reported by the Decorah Leader. Statewide, the National Volunteer Fire Council says Iowa is down 20% in volunteer firefighters, per KCRG.
That shortage can have real consequences: North Liberty Fire Department's Bill Schmooke told KCRG that staffing gaps can cause some departments to miss calls altogether, noting, “There are fire departments that miss calls... It does happen with more frequency the more difficult it is to find members.” Fire service leaders have pointed to an aging volunteer force and fewer young people entering the service as contributing factors, and the same report described retention as just as big a challenge as recruitment, with departments hoping to keep volunteers for more than five years.
Decorah Isn't Alone
Decorah's bond passed alongside a similar measure in Hills, Iowa, where voters approved a $5.1 million bond for a new fire station and city hall facility with roughly 68% support, exceeding the same 60% threshold, according to The Gazette. Hills had estimated its total project cost at approximately $4.9 million while asking voters to authorize borrowing up to $5.1 million, per CBS2 Iowa. That community's proposed facility includes showers, specialized gear-washing equipment, and ventilation designed to help reduce firefighters' exposure to cancer-causing materials from their gear, addressing concerns similar to those raised by Decorah's own department.
