The revised plan for the new firehouse moved three steps closer to reality this week with approval from the Inland Wetlands Agency, the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Finance for needed changes.
All the changes resulted from higher-than-expected bids that forced the Fire House Committee to eliminate certain elements of the plan.
The IWA approved elimination of the planned board walk and its replacement with a gravel pathway, while Planning & Zoning gave its stamp of approval for eliminating the board walk, a hose-drying tower, a ventilation monitor on top of the building and a change of color for the garage doors. An auxiliary building will be built at a future date.
At the same time, the Board of Finance heard a request from First Selectman Matt Riiska to increase the spending cap for the firehouse to $10.4 million, with borrowing of $4 million. Both figures are expected to be high.
He said Thursday that final figures depend on what the new round of bidding yields. “The new bids on structural steel, roofing, interior work and windows—anything associated with those features—will be reflected in the budget,” he said. “We are hopeful a half-million dollars will come out of the $10.4 million.”
“These figures give us good leeway,” Riiska said. “They will be more than we need.”
Funds currently available for the project are $2.5 million through a state grant, $500,000 from town funds, $500,000 in Congressional discretionary funding, and an anticipated $3.1 million from a capital campaign.
The Board of Finance approved his request but made it clear that there would be no further increases. A town meeting vote originally okayed $9.3 million for the firehouse and $3.5 million in borrowing.
Several contracts for major items such as steel are being rebid. Bids will be advertised Monday and are to be returned and opened Sept. 22. Riiska said there are details to attend to after that, but he hopes for a town meeting on Oct. 6 to get final approval for the increased spending.
During the Planning and Zoning Commission’s meeting, P&Z member Jonathan Sanoff asked if the new firehouse “will still be something the department and town can be proud of.”
‘We have put every consideration into function,” said Riiska. “Everything used in the building is of good quality and as long-lasting as it can be.”
With that said, he added that he hoped enough additional funding can be found to add back the hose-drying tower, which he considers an attractive architectural element.