The cost for extending one bay of the fire station adjacent to Solvang City Hall increased by just over $10,000, and with nearly $10,000 in additional contingency funds authorized by the City Council, the cost of the $171,499 project could rise by $20,000.
That increase came even though pavement patching work was deleted from the project, saving a little over $16,000.
But council members said the increase in cost will be well worth the benefit the city will receive from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department’s new ladder truck the extended bay will house — a truck that isn’t costing the city a dime.
The single chassis ladder truck is being purchased for County Fire by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, which also provided the funding for the city to extend one equipment bay at Fire Station 30, which serves Solvang from its location on Second Street.