Chair: Fire Station 3 on track for Feb. 23 occupancy; committee approves change order and payment

The Fire Station 3 Building Committee on Thursday heard an architect update saying the new station is nearing completion and remains on track for occupancy on Feb. 23.

“Window shades and flooring have been installed,” said Chris, the project architect, adding that exterior signage, most kitchen cabinets and appliances, network switches, light poles and fencing are in place and that overhead doors were delivered and installation began this week. Chris said start‑up work has begun on the makeup‑air and kitchen exhaust systems and that inspectors will begin what they can now with balance inspections scheduled for early to mid‑February.

The update mattered because committee members must weigh a set of recent change orders and payment requests against the project contingency. Chris presented five new proposed change orders received that afternoon, including PCO 42 (a minor cabinet adjustment to resolve a dishwasher/oven clearance), PCO 43 (a revised breaker and panel routing for the vehicle exhaust system), an SCBA compressor upgrade that required additional electrical work, and PCO 45 to relocate the historic Welch fire station sign to the new kitchen. Chris also reported a PCO (46) to raise a catch basin at the front lawn because the building was lifted during construction; the requested work would raise the basin about 18 to 24 inches and regrade surrounding soil.

One committee member characterized the catch basin cost as “extremely high” and urged that public works review or perform the work to bring the price down. Chris said the civil change orders will be reviewed in the next few days and that nothing identified so far will impact the schedule.

On formal business, a committee member moved to approve Change Order 6, which consolidated previously approved PCOs 32–41 for a total of $21,226; the committee carried the motion by voice vote. Chris said the project began with roughly $250,000–$300,000 in contingency; after approvals to date, including Change Order 6, the project still shows a credit of $45,520.

Chris presented Application for Payment No. 14 for December 2025 for $276,007 and said comments from Downes will lower that figure by a few thousand dollars. A committee member moved that public works process a payment not to exceed $276,700; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The committee also accepted the construction manager reports from Downes by motion and voice vote. Committee members noted a few remaining finish items — fixture installation, final cleaning, and coordination of monitors and wireless access points — but Chris reiterated there were no known items that would change the anticipated occupancy. The meeting adjourned with no additional old or new business.

The committee did not record individual roll‑call vote counts; actions were approved by voice votes as noted.