Pelham Fire station plan might get stimulus money if town builds with environment in mind

Salem Editor — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:41:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

The traditional red brick firehouse may be going green as officials eye environmentally friendly technologies as a way to garner stimulus funding for t h e construction of a new fire station in Pelham.

With voters set to decide whether to build a new fire station later this month, the third such vote in recent years, town officials are are investigating “energy conscious” elements that could be included in the final plans that might make the project more attractive to those agencies distributing funds from the economic stimulus package.

“We were told that (environmentally- friendly elements) are going to be a scoring factor,” said Town Administrator Thomas Gaydos. “We have to look at the costs, what the various options are and then understand how much they’re willing to grant.”

According to Gaydos, administrators are examining the cost of adding green technologies like thermal heating for inclusion in the final plans for the project.

Though there has been no word yet on how much of the $4.7 million project price tag would be picked up by the federal government, Gaydos said the town was moving ahead with the project as quickly as possible in order to make it “shovel-ready.”

Jeffrey Gowan, the town’s planning director, believes it is logical to assume that including environmentally friendly aspects to the proposed fire station would put it ahead of other projects statewide.

“Between solar technology – I’m not suggesting we have a wind farm on top of the fire station – but green building materials and green building technologies, it can have a pretty impressive payback for the town,” Gowan said. “Certainly President Obama has stressed the green approach as likely to contribute to the country’s recovery.”

If voters approve the citizen petitioned bond at the annual Town Meeting, the project could be out to bid by June, Gaydos said.

Last week selectmen approved the use of roughly $222,000 in impact fees for a new design for the proposed firehouse. Collected from home construction projects, the fees are set aside to reduce the impact on the town’s fire services from new residents.

The project has also come before voters as the town is preparing how best to use a $3.9 million federal earmark for the reconstruction of the roadways in the center of town. The state has presented residents with two variants, both roundabouts, but option A would require the demolition of the existing fire station.

Option B would leave the fire station in place, but would cost the department their front access from the building, which would add minutes onto their emergency response time, according to fire officials.

Combined with the potential loss of $170,000 in fire impact fees set to expire this year, Gaydos said Pelham is in a unique position to draw on both federal funds and impact fees to lessen the burden on the tax rate.

“We know that there’s going to be money and we know that projects that are ready to go are going to get the best looks,” Gaydos said. “We’re going to need all sorts of people (for the project work) and we have them here. We want them on the job. We want the stimulus money to stimulate the town of Pelham and the surrounding area.”

Impact fees tapped for fire station plans

Salem Editor — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 15:27:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

Pelham selectmen will tap into $103,000 of money collected by impact fees to pay for architectural plans for a new central fire station.

Their decision, made during a Nov. 8 meeting, provoked applause from the audience. Many people in attendance were firefighters.

Acquiring architectural plans will allow selectmen to ask voters in March to fund a new central station at a maximum price.

Selectman Ed Gleason said that for too long, infrastructure needs were met with a “deaf ear” in town. He said the station is plagued with mold and other problems.

“We need to make progress,” added Selectman Tom Domenico. “This is an important step.”

Firefighters have complained that lack of space at the station forces them to park equipment outside, exposing it to the weather.

The station’s leaky roof is being blamed for mold. The roof is being fixed and contamination will be removed.

For several years, the town has been collecting impact fees on new developments for fire station space.

A committee recently recommended to selectmen that the town build a new central station on town-owned land on the south side of the town’s village green instead of repairing and expanding the current station, said board Chairman Victor Danevich.

Pelham News : Fire Station

Pelham Fire station plan might get stimulus money if town builds with environment in mind

Impact fees tapped for fire station plans