Vadnais Heights, Minnesota, residents upset about cost of fire house construction project

"This isn't about supporting our 1st responders; it's about fiscal responsibility and the city," said one Vadnais Heights resident during a city council meeting. 

In 2023, the city of Vadnais Heights priced the construction of a new fire station at roughly 19 million dollars. This past January, that cost jumped. Last month, the city council approved a 33.3 million dollar bond without letting voters decide.

"We received a resident petition for a public vote on this decision yesterday," said Vadnais Heights Mayor, Mike Krachmer. 

This week, voters made their voices heard at a city council meeting.

"I went out and door-knocked and got 70 of those 1913 signatures," said another resident. 

"You saw on social media and heard from members of the community that a lot of people were curious about this project," said city administration Kevin Watson. 

Residents collected signatures online and at public events to reverse the city's decision and let the voters decide how much the city should spend on a new fire station. 

The city currently has two outdated stations. 

Staffing and community needs have changed. According to Chief Kurt Frison, the department needs a new facility to assist first responders.

"We've looked at renovating this building; we've looked at other options.  We're really looking for the long-term goal to serve the community," said Frison.

But residents we spoke with are worried about tax increases and pricing seniors out of their homes.

"We're open to any and all feedback we receive," said Watson. 

That feedback along with the petition made it clear that residents want a say in how much the city spends for a new fire station.

"When we make decisions like these, we want residents to clearly understand and support the investments we're making," said Krachmer during a city council meeting.