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Rowland tells city council an east side fire station in Watertown is a “need” (Audio)

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Rowland tells city council an east side fire station in Watertown is a “need” (Audio)
Mike Tanner/KWAT

December 20, 2021
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–The city of Watertown’s five year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) was approved Monday night, but not before a lengthy debate about what should be moved up in terms of a construction timeline, or what should be removed from the CIP entirely.

Councilman Randy Tupper was disappointed to see plans for a new East Side Fire Station have been pushed back two years, to 2027.

He invited Watertown Fire Rescue Chief Don Rowland (pictured) to speak before the council. Rowland says an east side station is not a want. It’s a need….

City Manager Amanda Mack explained her decision to push the east side fire station back to 2027 in Watertown’s long-term planning…

Tupper made a motion to move the east side fire station up to 2025 in the CIP plan. It failed on a 4-3 vote.

The council also defeated a motion by Councilman Mike Danforth to take a phosophorus removal facility out of the CIP. It’s a project meant to improve water quality at Lake Kampeska. The motion was defeated 4-3.