Bridgetown council will go ahead with tenders for remaining work on the new Bridgetown fire hall despite a funding shortfall in the neighbourhood of $325,000.
“We need to know what the costs will be to finish that job,” Bridgetown Mayor Art Marshall said during council’s May 25 meeting, suggesting that the town needs a price tag on each component of remaining work and the sequence of work.
He said immediate action is needed because the window will soon close on the construction season.
“It’s really important that we get that project finished and operational in the fall,” Marshall said. “The only way is to get it moving.”
Although the town doesn’t have the cash to get the job done, council is hedging its bets against funding requests already in the works. The town has approached Annapolis County for additional support and is seeking federal funding. Marshall suggested the town might have its own resources to draw upon if necessary.
Unfortunately, the county’s finance committee does not meet again until late June.
“We can’t wait that long to make a decision on moving forward,” said Marshall, who wants actual figures on paper – thus the decision to go to tender. Awarding tenders will be contingent upon receiving funding.
The $325,000 shortfall was a figure arrived at by project manager Laurie Emms and presented to the April 2 meeting of the New Fire Hall Construction Committee.
In a report to council from that meeting, Councillor Grant Wright said it was the consensus of the meeting that the town and county begin immediately to address plans for other sources of income, such as short term loans attached to area rates for the Bridgetown Volunteer Fire Department’s catchment area.
Wright said the BVFD was requesting that the committee ask council for an estimated completion date and a commitment from council to find the funds needed to complete the new fire hall in a timely manner.
Town CAO John Langmead said Monday that the contract for rebar for the truck bay floors has been awarded and work is proceeding this week. He also expected the tender for electrical would be awarded Wednesday, June 3 which would allow work to proceed on preparing walls on the north side of the fire hall.
Tenders being sent out now include work for final electrical, mechanical, plumbing, ventilation, and finish work. After that the town will look at landscaping and paving.
Bridgetown to proceed with fire hall tenders
By Lawrence Powell Spectator NovaNewsNow.com
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