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Woburn council tables $30 million fire‑station borrowing, asks for consultant cost breakdowns
Summary
Councilors urged transparency and asked the mayor's office to provide consultant estimates and renderings before approving a $30 million authorization to rebuild Stations 4 and 5; the motion was laid on the table to Oct. 1 pending documentation.
The Woburn City Council put on hold a borrowing authorization of up to $30 million to reconstruct fire stations after several councilors said they needed a clearer breakdown of costs and visual materials.
Committee reports recommended the borrowing to finance reconstruction of Fire Stations 4 and 5 and related work. Councilors asked for the consultant’s cost estimate and supporting documentation to be shared with all council members before any final vote. Councilor Popolato described the request as reasonable given the size of the authorization and asked that line‑item details and renderings be provided for public transparency.
Mayor Concannon and chief staff described the proposal as an authorization to bond — not immediate spending — and said the administration would share the consultant materials discussed in committee and the design configuration (including dorm space and decontamination areas) with the council. Several councilors accepted the administration’s offer but still voted to lay the matter on the table until Oct. 1 to allow time for distribution and review.
Councilors emphasized that the authorization would allow the city to begin design and procurement work more quickly if approved but that ultimate construction cost figures would only become firm after design completion and competitive bidding.
Next steps: the council requested that Mayor Concannon provide Pat Saeeda’s cost materials and related documentation to the council prior to the Oct. 1 meeting; the borrowing authorization will be reconsidered after councilors and the public can review the supporting material.
