Battle Creek approves $28M bond for fire station work, awards Schweitzer contract while Station 5 safety concerns persist

Battle Creek’s City Commission on Aug. 5 approved a capital improvement bond authorization not to exceed $28 million to pay for fire station renovations and related costs and accepted a construction bid from Schweitzer Incorporated for up to $19,884,836 with an FFE allowance not to exceed $1,500,000.

The clerk described Resolution 198 as authorization of 2025 capital improvement bonds to pay for fire station renovations, and the commission moved and approved the measure. The clerk then introduced Resolution 199, which the commission approved, accepting the lowest responsive bid from Schweitzer Incorporated for new construction and renovations at a not-to-exceed cost of $19,884,836 plus an FFE allowance of up to $1,500,000 to be procured through the State of Michigan extended purchasing program. Vote tallies were not recorded in the meeting transcript.

Public commenters and several commissioners urged that work address urgent health and safety needs at Fire Station 5, which staff initially did not include in the first round of renovations. Chuck Asher, a local resident, said: "Two thirds of line of duty cancer firefighter deaths anymore are caused by occupational cancer," and asked the city to pursue health and safety upgrades at Station 5.

Commissioner Simmons pressed staff to look for "value engineering to save some money in some areas so we can do some other things in other areas," describing disappointment that Station 5 was not included in the initial scope. Interim City Manager Ted Dearing and staff member Katie Norton said the city has built value engineering into the process and expects Schweitzer and its subcontractors to propose cost-saving alternatives after contract award. Norton said: "Once we award this contract to Schweitzer, we'll really dive deep into the value engineering. We wrote the resolution in a way that gives us a little bit more flexibility."

Staff also noted a project contingency and other budget tools. Norton explained the resolution contains a contingency allowance for unanticipated conditions and that the project includes a $2,500,000 contingency intended to address unknown site conditions discovered when excavation begins at Stations 2 and 3. She and the interim manager said that as unknowns are resolved, the commission would be updated and the city could evaluate whether savings or contingency funds could be directed to Station 5.

Commissioner Patrick O'Donnell focused on firefighter safety. "I want them to come home to have health and safety," he said, urging the commission to prioritize safety measures if at all possible.

Commissioner Morris asked whether the city had a back-up plan if value engineering and contingencies do not leave funds for Station 5. Staff responded that the city has other funding sources, including fund balance, but had not identified specific dollars to address Station 5 as of the meeting and agreed to report back as the project progresses.

The transcript records the motion to approve both resolutions and states each "has been approved." The record does not include a roll-call vote tally for either Resolution 198 or Resolution 199.

What happens next: staff said they will award the Schweitzer contract, pursue value-engineering opportunities with subcontractors, and report back to the commission about whether contingency or other funds can be applied to Station 5 health and safety upgrades.