Bedford council advances $8.2 million South River Road fire substation bond to deliberative session

The Bedford Town Council voted Jan. 22 to move a bond article for a South River Road fire substation to the town’s deliberative session and recommended the article to voters by a 6–1 margin.

Town Manager Rick Sawyer read the warrant language for the proposed authorization and the council heard a staff presentation and maps showing historical emergency-call hot zones concentrated along South River Road. The warrant asks voters to authorize up to $8,235,000 in bonds or notes, with $700,000 to come from the facilities design-build capital reserve and an additional $43,705 for bond issuance costs. Bond payments are expected to begin in 2026.

Why it matters: Sawyer and Councilor Kathleen Bemis said the substation would redeploy existing fire staffing — not add new employees or new equipment — to better cover apartment complexes, commercial corridors and river access along South River Road. Sawyer pointed to changes in population and call volume since 1994 to justify the project.

“The fire department has responded from the current safety complex since 1994 … the town’s population has grown by 90% and calls for service have increased 219%,” Sawyer said during the presentation.

Councilor Bemis, who chairs the facilities committee, described the measure as the first step in a longer facilities plan and said the proposed facility is sized to about 10,000 square feet with four apparatus bays, six bunk rooms (expandable), separate contaminated “hot” apparatus space and living quarters, and provisions for solar panels. Bemis said no new hires or new vehicles are proposed now; instead, four of the department’s on‑duty personnel would be based at the new substation.

Design and operational details in the presentation included: moving one engine and one ambulance to the South River Road site, a bay reserved for future expansion, boat access for river rescues, separate decontamination circulation for contaminated turnout gear, a fitness room and natural light in living quarters. Sawyer’s slide pack and contractor estimate listed a construction management cost that led to the roughly $8.9 million project figure behind the $8,235,000 bond ask.

Budget impact: The town’s presentation estimated the first debt service payment would begin in 2026 and equate to roughly $0.17 per $1,000 of assessed value in the first year, and that the payment would decrease slightly each year for about 10 years as the bond amortizes.

Council action: Councilor Kathleen Bemis moved to place the bond article on the deliberative session agenda; Councilor Michael Strand seconded. The motion to move the article passed 7–0. On the subsequent recommendation vote, the council recorded a 6–1 favorable recommendation to voters.

Ending: The bond will appear on the March warrant for voter decision. If approved by voters and after bond sale, debt-service payments are projected to begin in 2026, and the council said town staff will continue coordination with contractors and the state on site access and roadway improvements.