By Adam Swift
The latest meeting of the Firehouse Building Committee on Monday featured the latest cost estimate for the proposed new fire station on the site of the old middle school, as well as the wording of the debt exclusion question that will be on the Saturday, April 5 special election ballot.
Committee members also gave updates on community outreach efforts and the status of the project website.
Town Council President Jim Letterie said the updated budget figure for the new fire station stands at $38,840,000. That figure is lower than the $40 million-plus figure that had previously been considered due to some infrastructure work that was thought to be needed under the auditorium is actually under the gymnasium, which is not being demolished as part of the project.
The nearly $38.5 million budget figure includes the demolition of the middle school and the auditorium, as well as a 16 percent escalation figure to take into account when the work will actually begin and an additional $2.5 million in contingency costs.
“The last three .. debt exclusions, the (Cummings School), the Fort Banks, and the Miller Field have all come in under (the budget figure),” said Letterie.
Letterie said the town does have approval from the state on the wording for the debt exclusion ballot question.
“It would be headed, Building a New Fire Station Located at 151 Pauline St.,” said Letterie. “Question: Should the Town of Winthrop be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition 2-½, so-called, the amounts to pay for the bonds issued in order to pay costs of the demolition of the old middle school and auditorium, and for designing, engineering, constructing, equipping, and furnishing a new fire station including the payment of costs incidental and relative thereto.”
The ballot will also include an explanation paragraph that states that the town council has voted to appropriate funds to demolish the old middle school and auditorium to build a new fire station in the town.
“The new fire station will replace the two existing stations that will be deactivated on completion of construction,” the explanation states. “The appropriated funds would authorize vendors to demolish the existing old middle school and auditorium and design, engineer, build, and furnish the old fire station. The funds would be borrowed by the treasurer and approved by the town manager.
“The cost of the debt service, like a mortgage, would be added to your taxes only until the debt service is paid off.”
The entire debt service payments are anticipated to begin in Fiscal Year 2028.
Building committee members noted there are some final adjustments being made to the project website at winthropfirestation.com.
In addition, committee members encouraged residents who want to host a coffee hour on the debt exclusion and the need for a new fire station to contact Fire Chief Scott Wiley.