By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
By a unanimous vote from the public in attendance, the Burlington Town Board on Thursday approved $865,000 for the renovation of Fire Station No. 2 in Bohners Lake.
The item had to go back to the electors Oct. 8 because repeated attempts to bring the project in at its previously approved $580,000 price tag had failed.
However, while the motion to increase the higher amount passed unanimously, there was some dissention among Town Board members on whether to proceed with the planned renovation or consider building new instead.
Town Board member Tyson Fettes – on a phone line because he couldn’t attend in person – said he felt enough questions had been raised through the various meetings that night on both the proposed project and its cost to warrant another look.
“I’m not comfortable approving the bid as is,” said Fettes, and was the lone “no” vote in a 4-1 decision.
The issue was discussed twice on Oct. 8 – first at the special meeting of the electorate, and then at the Town Board meeting. The electorate had the say in determining the amount it would approve, but the Town Board still needed to give its approval to move forward with the project.
Town Fire Chief Ed Umnus, as well as the various engineers and architects working on the project, had said the number had been brought in as low as they could get it.
Town Chairman Ralph Rice also stressed that the project had been “a couple of years” in planning phases.
Town resident Viki View Peterson made the motion to spend up to $865,000 on the project – which includes a new apparatus bay that will be a pre-fabricated building, and renovations to the current structure to get vehicle exits off Highway P as well as expand meeting space.
View made the motion for $100,000 more than asked so there would be some flexibility with the project.
However, once the item came up on the Town Board agenda, most felt enough time and effort had been spent in trying to bring the cost in where it currently was.
“I just don’t see the price going down,” said Umnus.
Added Rice, “We’ve spent a lot of time on this. At some point, we need to get moving on this.”
Ironically, while the vote was 4-1 to approve the plans for the renovated station, the vote to spend up to $865,000 on the plan was unanimous.
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