Funds allocated for Potowomut fire station

John Howell
Posted 10/23/14

Potowomut will get its fire station, and it’s going to happen much sooner than dreamed possible as the latest round of construction bids were opened and all the estimates exceeded the $2 million …

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Funds allocated for Potowomut fire station

Posted

Potowomut will get its fire station, and it’s going to happen much sooner than dreamed possible as the latest round of construction bids were opened and all the estimates exceeded the $2 million bond voters approved in 2006 for the building.

On Monday night, the City Council unanimously approved the $2,587,000 bid of Ahlborg Construction to build a two-bay station that includes a community meeting room and police substation. Fire Chief Edmund Armstrong told the council he hopes work can begin at the site of the former Potowomut School shortly and that the new station would be operational by this time next year.

Making it all possible is the administration’s reallocation of about half the $800,000 budgeted for $1,000 bonuses for all city workers. The $400,000 would come from bonuses designated for fire and police, according to what acting chief of staff, William DePasquale, told the council. Added funds would come from the city’s disaster recovery fund.

The transfers would be made later this fiscal year.

Last week, William Lloyd, president of the Warwick Firefighters Local 2748, told the Beacon the union’s executive committee chose not to accept the bonus as a gesture of good faith as contract negotiations started. Mayor Scott Avedisian budgeted the bonuses in appreciation of the city’s three unions being in the third year of no wage increase contracts. The bonuses hinged on the three unions agreeing to forego a wage re-opener in the third year – this year.

Lloyd was pleased by the administration and the council’s actions to proceed with the station. While he pointed out the union has no authority to designate where unused bonus funds could go, he is happy to see them earmarked for the station, as opposed to repaving roads. Some council members have urged Avedisian to skip the bonuses and put the money into roads.

But it was the argument the city can build the station without incurring added personnel and equipment costs, and actually generate revenues, that won the day.

Under the plan, one of the two engine companies made up of 12 men and a truck, each stationed next to Aldrich Junior High – one covers Lakewood and the other Norwood – would be transferred to Potowomut. Armstrong said this would not compromise coverage, as he will redistrict the city, expanding coverage areas for each of the districts by several streets.

In turn, he explained, with the new Potowomut station in place, the city would end its $360,000 contract with East Greenwich. The money saved would help pay principal and debt payments on the bond. In addition, the chief believes rescue runs to East Greenwich and North Kingstown, plus leases to cell phone companies on a station tower, would bring in $400,000 a year.

“I’m shocked to learn how much we’re spending with East Greenwich,” said Ward 9 Councilman Steven Merolla.

He said had the administration chosen to build the station after voter approval in 2006, instead of “freezing” the bond, the city would have saved $2,052,411 in payments to East Greenwich by now. While Avedisian put a moratorium on issuing bonds so as to reduce city debt carrying costs, Merolla, in outlining the history of a Potowomut station, said efforts to locate a site were unsuccessful until the school closed anyhow.

Merolla stressed the station would provide Potowomut residents the same level of fire service other Warwick taxpayers are now getting. Actually, Warwick as well as East Greenwich are currently responding to Potowomut calls. But with the station, Merolla noted, response time would be reduced.

With removal of the school, Merolla said there is no city building in the neighborhood. He said the station community room would be available for group meetings and local organizations.

Ward 4 Councilman Joseph Solomon said the station is justified, based on growth in Potowomut and North Kingstown, money saved and projected revenues.

Ward 5 Councilman Ed Ladouceur said he was surprised that the administration argued it couldn’t reallocate budgeted amounts for road repairs, yet it did just that to enable the funding for the station. He also questioned if the station is bigger now than what the voters were told they were financing when they approved the bond in 2006. Armstrong couldn’t say what was envisioned in 2006.

“How did you find a way to shift $400,000 from that line item [in the budget] to the station and not the roads?” Ladouceur wanted to know.

DePasquale said the administration supports the cause of the station.

“This is the choice,” he said.

Armstrong said a reserve rescue would be stationed in Potowomut and that this does not require another rescue company. He said he is in the process of applying for a grant that, if approved, would also give the station a rescue boat that could be launched from Goddard Park or Rocky Hill School.

In a call the following morning, Ladouceur said he intends to “keep and eye on what’s happening with the fire station. I’m going to hold his [Armstrong’s] feet to the fire that he is following the business plan of no new personnel or equipment. That’s what I’m going to remember.”

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  • Unionthug

    "Armstrong said a reserve rescue would be stationed in Potowomut and that this does not require another rescue company.". That line doesn't make any sense. It's not manned, all it would be is a parking spot for a reserve truck.

    Thursday, October 23, 2014 Report this

  • TheDeal

    Exactly Steve. An unmanned beat up reserve earns nothing sitting there with no one to operate it. If they try and cross man it, all you have is a 3 million dollar empty building and the who knows is going to end up responding from where. That would defeat the purpose and put the taxpayers in Potowomut at greater risk than having done nothing at all.

    Friday, October 24, 2014 Report this