GREENFIELD — City councilors on the ad-hoc fire station committee met for the first time Wednesday to form a plan for moving forward.
The purpose of the three-member committee, formed last month by City Council, is to explore avenues for additional funding for the construction of the new fire station, explained Precinct 9 Councilor Derek Helie, who was nominated and voted to serve as chair.
The overall $17 million budget for the fire station, slated to be built on Main Street near Coombs Avenue, includes $2 million for the construction of the temporary fire station on Hope Street, in addition to construction for the new station, professional fees and contingency funds. The temporary fire station, which the department moved into in September, is expected to be used for two years.
“I think we need to identify what the needs are, how we can find money, and the appropriate way to fundraise, because we can’t do it ourselves,” Helie said.
The formation of the committee in February stemmed from a discussion initiated by At-Large Councilor Christine Forgey, during which she relayed to councilors the status of the budget for the project, as well as anticipated difficulties given the expected increase in material cost and supply chain issues.
“What has been happening within the (Fire Station Building Committee) is they have been looking for ways in which to minimize that deficit without losing the quality of the structure itself, and the future of the fire service in Greenfield,” Forgey told councilors on Jan. 19.
Forgey’s concerns followed a Fire Station Building Committee meeting on Jan. 13, during which members voted to transfer the $615,000 allocated for furniture, fixtures and other expenses into the construction budget, which now totals $12.1 million.
The transfer was approved to allow one previously defined “alternate” — epoxy flooring — to be included in the overall construction budget, up from $10.1 million, for the architects to incorporate into a design before going out to bid.
Speaking during Wednesday’s inaugural meeting, At-Large Councilor Penny Ricketts said she would want to hear from Fire Chief Robert Strahan and the Firefighter’s Association to find out what they would most like to see returned to the budget.
“The fire station is important; it’s a priority with me,” Ricketts said. “I’m a big public safety person, so give me the dollar amount, the specific material and let’s go from there.”
Helie considered the possibility of the Firefighter’s Association organizing fundraisers, such as offering the public an opportunity to purchase a brick to be engraved and included in the main structure.
“There’s a lot of opportunities there,” he said. “I just think I need to better understand the construction of the fire station. … I think this meeting is really a starting point.”
In preparation for future meetings, Helie said he would contact Strahan, as well as review previous Fire Station Building Committee meetings to get caught up to speed.
Forgey said she was “thrilled” with the committee, and was particularly glad Helie, who has a background in construction, stepped up to serve as chair.
“We don’t know what everything is going to look like when it comes in from bid,” Forgey said. “We’re really looking at numbers that are guesstimates at this point. One of the things I think is important about this committee is that we represent the council and we stand ready to give our support when their might be a shortage.”
Forgey recommended that Helie begin thinking about who he would like to invite to future meetings. Helie said he would start by organizing a meeting with Strahan and Precinct 7 Councilor Ed Jarvis, who serves on the Fire Station Building Committee and is a retired deputy chief with the Fire Department.
The next meeting is set for Wednesday, April 6, at 6 p.m., either by Webex or in-person.
Before the meeting adjourned, Strahan thanked the committee for its efforts.
“The fact that, as contentious as this project has been for the last decade,” he said, “we have a group that has come together — from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of all our firefighters, we thank you for the effort that’s being put forward.”
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne