CEDARBURG, Wis. — The Cedarburg Common Council is studying significant upgrades to the city's aging public safety buildings, with potential costs exceeding $50 million for either replacement or renovation of both facilities, according to the results of a recent study.
Watch: Cedarburg neighbors give lukewarm reaction to potential $50M safety building costs
At Monday's Common Council meeting, the city discussed the results of the study, which was commissioned in 2024. The results confirmed critical infrastructure needs at the city's fire department, built in the 1960s, and the police department building, constructed in 1999.
The upgrades would include bunks for full-time firefighters, larger locker rooms, a fleet garage for growing police staff, and improved HVAC systems.
The upgrades could add hundreds of dollars to neighbors' property tax bills, creating a balancing act for city officials. City Administrator Mikko Hilvo says neither the Common Council nor city taxpayers are rushing to spend that kind of money.
"There is no appetite right now for that right now," Hilvo said. "We're looking at a couple of years out... We need to figure out what that middle ground is," Hilvo said.
Local resident Christine O'Hare emphasized the importance of maintaining quality public services while being mindful of costs.
"Part of what makes this such a desirable community is having these services and investing in ourselves," O'Hare said. "It's a balancing act because we're all watching budgets and taxes and whatnot."
The Common Council continues to evaluate options for addressing the infrastructure needs, with millions in repairs due over the next few years. The city is also in the process of studying upgrades or replacement of its water treatment facility.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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