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.

He says the garage was designed for fire trucks as they were 50 years ago. Today's engines are a lot bigger, and the department had to build a new section on to the back of the garage just to fit one in. The crew there say they're one of the busiest-- if not the busiest-- engine company in the city.

Thieves took essential items like rope-rescue equipment, along with first-response gear, totaling about $13,000. For a small fire department on the coast manned by mostly volunteers, that's a big blow.