The new station, scheduled to be ready for use in September, will be mortgaged sometime in the next month for 25 years.

"We had made a commitment that we would not go back to the public after we raised $6 million through the bond. This was a way out," said Duncan.

He said that everyone—including the Saratoga City Council, the firefighters' union and he himself—was responsible for what happened.

The delay in the construction increased the costs by $600,000. The city council asked for a redesign that cost another $500,000. The rest of the cost is attributed to the original owner of the plot of land taking the department to court, according to Trina Whitley, the business manager at the fire department.

Don Whetstone, a former member of the Bond Oversight Committee,

said that the first plan was not fully compliant. "They were in violation of the city's zoning laws. That's the reason for the plan not being approved. They messed up with the first plan," said Whetstone.

"They're talking about a merger with the Santa Clara County Fire Department. That would mean that the administrative functions would move. If that happens, they would not need a colossal station," he said.

Cynthia Barry, a former planning commissioner, said that the fire department did not bring a plan that could be approved. "It was not a plan that was well thought out, considering the city's needs. And it was not brought to us early enough for constructive changes," she said.

The new station would provide more space to the city firefighters, according to Duncan. "The new building is going to be tremendous. The living conditions will be better and it's going to be watertight," said Jay Geddes, a fire commissioner.

In April 2001, 80 percent of Saratoga Fire District residents had voted to replace the outdated station. They had also agreed to fund a new station with $6 million in property taxes.

The former fire chief, Ernest Kraule, said that he would not call the extra expense a cost overrun. "The compounding delays added to the original costs. It slowed the whole process down. It came down to two political groups that were not agreeing with each other," he said.

The fire department is planning an open house for the public when the building is ready in September.