A Sacred Promise Broken

Summary of the June 10 Brentwood City Council Meeting: A Promise Broken

On June 10th, the Brentwood City Council voted 3–2 to overturn the Planning Commission’s decision and approve a conditional permit for Fire Station 94—despite widespread public opposition and design flaws that violated the Downtown Specific Plan.

This decision paves the way for the County to begin construction on land that was promised to veterans over a century ago. That promise has now been broken.

The property, purchased in 1923 using a special tax approved by the Board of Supervisors and authorized by state law specifically for veterans' meeting places, was intended to serve as a permanent memorial and gathering place for local veterans. It was part of a broader countywide effort to honor those who served in World War I—a place not just built of bricks and mortar, but rooted in memory, legacy, and healing. It represented a solemn agreement between the people and their defenders—a sacred trust.

That trust has been desecrated.

Outside Pressure Overwhelms Local Voice

You can watch the meeting here, start at 1:45:30

Supervisor Diane Burgis coordinated a full-court press from the County, urging officials from other cities to apply pressure on Brentwood’s council. The fire union brought out a large contingent of firefighters—many from outside Brentwood—to fill the chambers and speak in favor of the downtown location.

In contrast, Brentwood residents—including veterans, members of the downtown coalition, and even a few former fire officials—pleaded with the Council to find a better way, a different location. Their voices were overshadowed and, in many cases, ignored.

Even Assemblymember Anamarie Ávila Farías, who serves on the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, came to speak in favor of the fire station on the memorial property. This came as a shock to many, especially since earlier this year, when local veterans reached out for her support, she declined, stating it was a “local issue.” Despite multiple follow-up requests for a meeting, no response was received. For veterans, her public alignment with the County—against the very community she is tasked with representing—feels like a betrayal.

Ignoring the Community, Disregarding the Plan

The council admitted that the fire station’s design does not comply with the Downtown Specific Plan—the very reason the Planning Commission had voted to deny the permit. Yet instead of upholding that decision, the Council approved the project with conditional modifications and no requirement that revised plans return for review. In doing so, they handed over control to the Fire District with no accountability.

What should have happened was simple: the City Council could have stood by the Planning Commission’s decision and called for collaboration—affirming both the need for a new fire station and the need to honor the veterans’ memorial site. There were win-win options. But those were never seriously considered.

Instead, the City helped the County violate a 100-year-old promise made not just to current veterans, but to the memory of every servicemember that hall was built to honor.

Words of Pain and Loss

One veteran who attended the meeting later reflected:

"After last night's decision, I didn't feel proud to be a veteran in my community. I've never felt like this before. It was a kick in the stomach. And I'm still trying to sort this feeling out."

A board member of the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building added:

"I don't know how anyone can consider this a win when it clearly comes at the expense of our veterans. The County made a promise to veterans back in the 1920s, and now they have no problem breaking it when it’s convenient for them. What is very disappointing is that there were multiple win-win scenarios that the County and Fire District did not even want to consider. Unfortunately, as veterans, we're all too familiar with the government not keeping its promises."

This isn’t over. The veterans of East Contra Costa will continue to stand for the truth, for our history, and for future generations who deserve to inherit what was promised to those who came before. A sacred promise was broken on June 10th. But the memory it sought to erase is not forgotten. Not by us.