South Fire Station Reconstruction Project

The South Fire Station Reconstruction Project emerged from documented structural and operational deficiencies at the facility originally built in 1974. On June 1, 2026, the Town Council received a formal briefing from MBAC Chair Nicole McGee outlining unsafe electrical systems, asbestos concerns, lack of ADA compliance, undersized apparatus bays, and inadequate space for modern decontamination and gender-specific facilities. The presentation framed reconstruction as necessary to advance the project onto the FY2027 ballot.

Following that briefing, the Municipal Budget Advisory Committee took up the project on July 9, 2026, reviewing schematic designs estimated at $7.45 million against a $7.1 million hard-cost target within a $10 million not-to-exceed budget. Value-engineering measures such as brick cladding, removal of skylights, and revised canopy and door designs were discussed to control costs while preserving functionality.

Design revisions also shifted the exterior to a more traditional style to better integrate with the surrounding residential neighborhood. Chief Lemire reported ongoing consultant meetings that informed these changes, emphasizing that new construction would ultimately cost less than renovation.

Public outreach strategies were developed in the same July 9 session, including social media campaigns to illustrate building deficiencies, presentations to the senior center, and engagement with groups such as Rotary and Kiwanis. The committee proposed forming subcommittees modeled on the earlier police station project to coordinate finance, communications, and stakeholder input from boards including Planning, Zoning, and Historic District.

The project carries significant stakes for public safety infrastructure and taxpayer costs, requiring simultaneous upgrades to meet current codes and containment of overall expenditure. No formal votes on funding or construction have occurred to date; the Council and MBAC have treated the sessions as informational briefings to prepare for future ballot consideration.

As of the most recent evidence, the initiative remains in the schematic design and community-engagement phase, with plans to return updated designs to the Town Council for further review.