Selectboard authorizes up to $21,000 for fire-station design; department reports new hires, equipment and training plans

The Selectboard on a voice vote authorized the town administrator to execute design and permitting work for a proposed new fire station and to expend up to $21,000 from the Fire Station Capital Reserve Fund or grant proceeds, officials said.

The money will pay for site plan and permitting work from a package proposed by Fieldstone (site planning) and associated engineering and test pits, the board was told. The board discussed design options intended to reduce long-term maintenance costs — including raising the concrete frost wall under the garage rather than a large slab foundation — if later funding allows.

The action moves the project from earlier planning toward contract drawings and test pits. A town official said the town has an existing roster of consultants selected through a 2019 RFP (KFC Architects, Fieldstone and WW Engineering) and expects the design/permitting work to allow DPW to begin limited site clearing, erosion control and test pits this spring. The board authorized the interim town administrator to sign the design proposal and proceed with site work once contracts are in place.

Fire department members gave a separate operational update at the meeting. Fire leaders reported two new hires who will be assigned across stations, a continued recruiting push and a shortened candidate-processing timeline intended to reduce applicant drop-off. They said staffing has increased compared with a year ago and that additional candidates are being pursued as seats open.

Equipment upgrades were described in detail. The department said it has purchased four multi-gas detectors (one for each engine and station), new thermal imaging cameras, and new lift/stabilization airbags that the department said can lift or stabilize up to 12,000 pounds. Officials reported the thermal imagers replace battery-worn units that were no longer serviceable; the new units will be used in structure and search operations. The department also said it has ordered replacement airbags and other technical-rescue gear and plans training on vehicle stabilization and confined-space operations.

Planned trainings include wildland response, large-animal recovery techniques (the department described an upcoming class that will include practice on weighted training “horses”), and additional stabilization/technical-rescue instruction that department members said will be run in-house where possible and supplemented by outside instructors for animal-handling and other specialty topics.

Town officials and firefighters said the new station design and the equipment purchases are separate but complementary efforts: the design work lays the groundwork for a new facility while upgraded equipment and training aim to reduce operational risk in the near term.

What happens next: officials said the designer will begin test pits and more detailed site work as soon as the contract is executed; DPW staff will perform initial site clearing. The board directed staff to seek grant funding for later construction stages and to revisit the schedule and design once geotechnical work is complete.

Votes at a glance: The Selectboard voted to authorize the interim town administrator to accept Fieldstone's design/proposal and to expend up to $21,000 for design and permitting from the Fire Station Capital Reserve Fund and/or available grants. The motion as recorded authorized the expenditure; the board chair called the vote in the affirmative.