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Trustees weigh $650,000 engine, scale back storage-building plan as department trims 2020 requests
Summary
Norwich Township trustees reviewed Fire Department capital priorities for 2020 — including a $650,000 replacement engine and a $285,000 medic — and directed engineers to redesign a proposed storage building after updated estimates pushed costs above $1.0 million.
Trustees from Norwich Township reviewed the Fire Department’s 2020 capital requests and instructed staff to trim a proposed storage building after a sharp rise in cost estimates.
Fire Chief Jeff Warren told the Board that a replacement fire engine is estimated at $650,000 and Medic 81 would cost about $285,000 to replace. Chief Warren said moving Medic 81 to another station ‘‘would not make sense’’ because of mileage and wear. Jamie Miles, the fiscal officer, asked whether the General Fund would cover both vehicles; trustees discussed covering the engine from the General Fund but not the medic.
Chief Warren also reported maintenance needs at Station 83, including a failing kitchen-floor coating and rooftop HVAC units. He said removing rooftop HVAC units was cost-prohibitive and recommended replacing units as needed at roughly $4,700 each, a less-expensive option than relocation.
Trustees repeatedly reviewed a proposed fire storage building. OHM Advisors provided an early estimate above $1.0 million; at a Nov. 12 special meeting trustees agreed to reduce the project: remove the parking-lot scope, cut the building from seven bays to five and shift the building east to pare paving and site costs. ‘‘Ask OHM to re-quote’’ was the direction from Chairman Larry Earman.
The board also authorized the fire chief to settle an insurance claim for Engine 82. Trustees approved accepting a PERSO settlement for the damaged engine totaling $116,701.54, which includes storage and towing fees and transfers possession to PERSO.
Next steps: the township will seek revised engineering bids and updated cost estimates before finalizing the storage building design and incorporating any approved expenses into the 2020 capital budget.
