Chicopee council sends $26,476 request to finance for fire headquarters floor engineering and temporary shoring

The Chicopee City Council voted April 1 to send a mayor's order requesting $26,476 for engineering and temporary temporary shoring related to a crack in the fire headquarters apparatus floor to the finance committee for a public hearing.

Facilities director Dave Rice told the council the funds would pay for a professional cost estimate and design work by an outside firm (Gail and Associates) and for temporary shoring beneath the repair bay so no one is at risk while the engineering is completed. "In order to get the professional cost estimate done, we need to have Gail and Associates signed on to be able to design the plan of fixing the floor and to work with our cost estimators to give us an actual price," Rice said. He added the scaffolding currently in place protects the bay but the city needs the design and cost estimate to move the project to bid.

Councilor Labrie moved to receive the mayor's order and send it to the finance committee for a public hearing. Councilor Cushane voiced confidence in the facilities director and the fire department. Some councilors asked that finance review the estimates and discuss timing; one councilor said the chief preferred to wait until a full project rather than do partial work immediately. The motion to refer to finance passed on a roll call recorded as 12 yes.