Waterford RTM approves up to $12.6 million for new fire station at 441 Boston Post Road

The Waterford Representative Town Meeting (RTM) voted 22–3 on Oct. 6, 2025, to authorize up to $12,600,000 in bonds to demolish the existing building at 441 Boston Post Road and build a new town-owned fire station, as described in plans prepared by Silver Petraelli & Associates for the Oswagotchi Fire Station Building Committee.

The motion, moved and seconded from the floor, authorized the town to issue bonds or notes up to the stated amount to cover design, demolition, construction, equipment, furnishings, site work, architects’ and engineering fees, legal fees, financing costs and related expenses, and designated the first selectman and the director of finance to carry out bond sale details. The resolution also authorized the building committee to determine the scope and particulars of the project and named Shipman & Goodwin as bond counsel in the resolution text on the table.

Bob Taneski, chair of the Oswagotchi Fire Station Building Committee, summarized the committee’s two-and-a-half-year effort and said the design “reflects the town — styled after a New England farmhouse, it is simple and elegant.” He told the RTM the committee conducted 53 meetings, considered alternatives, and recommended the new building as the best long-term solution for public-safety operations.

Architect David Stein of Silver Petraelli & Associates and Steve Smith of Downs Construction walked members through cost differences between renovating the existing station and building new. Stein said differences in site conditions, demolition, required equipment (air compressors, gear lockers, gear-washing and drying systems) and higher contingencies explain why projects of similar square footage can produce very different estimates. Smith said renovating an occupied firehouse is a phased, high-labor undertaking that raised the renovation estimate from an earlier baseline.

Multiple residents and town officials spoke in favor of the project during the public-comment period and the project presentation. Steve Snuggner, the town’s emergency management director, said the building would allow indoor storage for grant-purchased, towable equipment and provide a dedicated space for interdepartmental training, which he said would extend equipment life and improve public-safety coordination. Resident Eugene Kashik told the RTM he was “100% in favor” of the project.

Opponents and cautious members raised staffing, strategic coverage and cost concerns. Representative Condan cited a 2001 fire-scope report saying the town should retain five stations only as long as active volunteer participation continues and warned that declining volunteers could force costly staffing changes or station consolidation. Condan argued the town may face higher long-term operational costs if it keeps five stations and urged caution about siting and staffing choices.

The financial numbers were a focal point of the debate. Members referenced an earlier $8 million estimate for renovating the existing facility and a later $11 million rough order of magnitude; building-new estimates shown to the RTM placed the construction ask at $12.6 million with additional soft costs and previously approved expenditures bringing the project’s total program cost closer to roughly $13.5 million, according to the building committee’s presentation. Taneski and project staff said the $12.6 million figure is the bond authorization requested for the construction phase; other smaller sums already authorized or spent remain separate line items.

During roll-call voting the following members were recorded voting "Yes": Miss Agambosa; Mr. Bono; Miss Pashali; Miss Casper; Miss Childs; Mr. Clonus; Mr. Debeck; Mr. Fiorvanti; Mr. Goldstein; Miss Gonzalez; Mr. Healey; Miss Jessic; Mr. Keatley; Miss Khan; Miss McKenzie; Mr. Monahan; Miss Morris; Mr. Muckle; Miss Mullen; Miss Mullen Cole; Miss Stewart Galinus; Mr. Sigru. Members recorded voting "No" were Mr. Condan, Miss Driscoll and Mr. Olinsu. The moderator declared the motion passed.

What happens next: the resolution authorizes the first selectman and director of finance to determine bond sale details and execute financing paperwork; the building committee was directed to continue finalizing project scope. Project documents and the final project plans were noted as being on file with the director of planning and development. The RTM also recorded that grant applications and additional approvals would be pursued if applicable.

The RTM’s discussion included repeated assurances from the town’s fire leadership and the building committee that the project aims to improve public-safety operations, while critics emphasized the need for a clear staffing and townwide maintenance strategy for all five stations. The RTM did not adopt any separate, immediate commitments to renovate the other stations during the same session; members asked that staff return with prioritized maintenance plans.