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Fire chief outlines nearly $1 million in repairs across Port Arthur fire stations; council asked to prioritize
Summary
Interim Fire Chief Havens reported an estimated $973,413.76 in maintenance needs across multiple fire stations, ranging from generator replacements to mold remediation and concrete work, and indicated his current building-maintenance budget is about $366,000.
Interim Fire Chief Havens told the City Council on July 1 that Port Arthur’s seven fire stations need a range of repairs, and he presented preliminary cost estimates that together total just under $1 million.
Chief Havens said the department has identified needs including generator replacements, roof and waterproofing work, window and exterior repairs, mold remediation, flooring replacement, fence repairs, and replacement of worn cabinets and heaters.
"[T]his building's total estimated maintenance cost at this time is a $118,236 and $237.96," Chief Havens said of the central fire station, and later summarized the subtotal for station repairs as about $973,413.76. He also said the department currently has about $366,000 budgeted in building-maintenance accounts.
Chief Havens gave several station-specific examples and rough cost estimates: a commercial generator and installation at Station 1 and other stations (generator costs cited in the meeting ranged from roughly $57,000 to $74,350.72 with installation and transfer switches adding significant cost); waterproofing/painting quoted at about $80,000 for some buildings; roof repairs that could range around $70,000; flooring replacement estimates around $10,000 at one station; and mold remediation and associated interior repairs estimated at about $70,000 at Station 6. He noted Station 2 and Station 3 replacement projects were separately large capital efforts previously budgeted at about $15 million each and were excluded from the maintenance subtotal.
Council members pressed for clarity on warranty coverage for newer buildings and whether any of the work could be filed with the city’s insurers. Chief Havens said warranties had been used where they applied and that some items had been remediated repeatedly, prompting a recommendation for an environmental or mechanical engineer to investigate persistent mold at Station 6.
City Manager Ron said the city held roughly one-third of the identified need in current budgets and that he would meet with the chief and other staff the following day to further prioritize items for the upcoming budget.
Ending: Council asked staff to provide documentation to support insurance and warranty claims, to work with risk management on possible insurance filings, and to return with prioritized repair recommendations tied to available funds.
