The Oskaloosa Fire Department finally got the new fire house they deserve. In the latest City Council meeting, Fire Chief Mark Neff expressed to the council that all of the staff was very pleased with the housing accommodations and the new truck bays in the Fire Department.

There was a slight hiccup in the renovation plans, however. When the construction was all said and done, something was missing from the living quarters for the firefighters: bathroom sinks and showers.

Many of the council members, and public in attendance, were scratching their heads as to how this could have been overlooked. Chief Neff noted that it was an architect mistake. The plumbing plans on the blueprint for the bathroom had allegedly been left out during the renovations.

“Once the exterior goes up, its the small ticket items that take a little more time,” said Chief Neff regarding how quickly the exterior was completed. The firefighters are all settled in now and the omissions in the bathrooms have since been corrected.

The third floor of the updated Fire Department houses a conference room open to the public. There are now four truck bays for all the fire trucks and other response vehicles.

The Oskaloosa Fire Department is holding an dedication ceremony on August 3rd at 2 PM. There will be refreshments and an open house to follow the ceremony.