Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire Department Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Volunteer fire committee unveils outreach plan for $55–59 million station upgrade
Summary
The Avon Volunteer Fire Department building committee presented a public newsletter and survey timetable for a multi-station modernization project estimated at $55–59 million after prior higher-cost estimates; officials said the outreach will begin in September with survey returns due by mid-October.
Jim Specich, chair of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department (AVFD) building committee, told the Board of Finance on June 22 that the committee will distribute a community newsletter in September and solicit survey responses through mid-October to brief residents before any ballot decision. "Our journey began back in 2022, where we engaged a consultant firm called CGR Rochester to provide a master plan for the department," Specich said, tracing the project from an initial roughly $70 million estimate to later proposals trimmed to about $55–59 million.
Chief Appell, who confirmed the department remains "100% volunteer," emphasized health, safety and recruitment as the chief drivers for new stations. "Volunteerism is down nationwide, 40-60% down," Chief Appell said, arguing modern facilities help recruit and retain firefighters and reduce exposures that can increase cancer risks. The committee also noted apparatus size increases and OSHA-driven facility expectations as reasons existing stations—several built in the 1960s and 1970s—no longer meet operational needs. The presentation said a ladder truck is expected to cost about $2.2 million, and the committee reported earlier cost-reduction rounds and a Town Council request to expand public education on the project.
Board members asked for clearer operational metrics in outreach materials. Michael Szekeres recommended a red/yellow/green metric dashboard and suggested communications include an estimate of the volunteer department's annual savings to taxpayers; Chief Appell told the board volunteers save roughly "$3–5 million" per year. Designers said the schematic plan includes separated public meeting space, elevators to meet ADA requirements at new stations, and reuse of the old Company 3 structure for storage or fitness space. The committee said the survey will be available by QR code, online and as mail tear-offs, and will be promoted via community events and open houses before tabulation of results in October.
The board did not take a formal vote on the project at the June 22 meeting; the newsletter and survey are informational steps the committee and council directed to gather public feedback before any funding decision.
