Plans For New East Dubuque Fire Station Scrapped

East Dubuque city officials have nixed a planned project to construct a new fire station in the face of ongoing financial difficulties. City Manager Bob Seitz told City Council members at a meeting Monday that he and Fire Chief Joe Heim have agreed the city can’t go forward with the new station, which at last estimate was expected to cost $6 million. The city has for several years planned to construct new fire and police stations.  Both projects were proposed to be funded through federal loans, although Seitz said the city had not yet submitted a loan application for either project. However, East Dubuque officials have said the city is in a precarious financial position. At its last audit in 2022, the city’s general fund had a negative balance, with a deficit of over $885,000.