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Forum focuses on firehouse plans
By Elspeth Pierson
Banner Correspondent
WELLFLEET - It was an easy crowd at the Wellfleet Forum gathering Thursday evening at the library. The 40-odd residents in attendance appeared already well-versed on the proposed projects up for discussion as representatives from the fire department, the historical society, the Community Preservation Hall committee, and the town recreation department went over the articles on the warrant for Special Town Meeting Dec. 3.
Questions focused mainly on the plans for the proposed firehouse, which already have undergone several changes since the printing of the warrant. Residents were pleased to discover that construction cost estimates have been cut by $1 million, lowering the total projected cost of the project from $8.6 million, as it appears on the warrant, to $7.68 million.
The fire department received the bids from general contractors on Wednesday and was surprised to find them much less expensive than expected. All were within two percent of one another in total cost, which Fire Chief Dan Silverman attributed to thorough plans and bidding at an advantageous time.
Silverman focused on green design as a major selling point for the proposed firehouse, touting it not only as an environmental benefit but also as a way to save the town money over the long term. Green design highlights include heavy insulation, motion sensors to ensure lights and heat are only operating when a room is occupied, extensive passive solar lighting and solar hot water, and provisions to add future alternative energy sources.
ÒGeothermal is something we started talking about early on in the process,Ó said Silverman, Òand based on the initial analysis, it is looking like a very attractive alternative right now.Ó
Although the plans went out to bid with a conventional heating system, Silverman said he hopes to have an answer on the feasibility of geothermal by the time the plans are up for vote at Special Town Meeting. ÒIt looks like the payback period for a geothermal system would be somewhere in the range of five years with potential savings of $35,000 a year over the life span of this building,Ó said Silverman, adding, ÒWe anticipate the building to last 30-50 years, so that could be some pretty significant savings.Ó
Silverman also addressed concerns about plans for the basement of the building, which he said would be left unfinished. ÒThe public said it didnÕt want to see another building built without a basement like the senior center,Ó he explained. ÒPeople seem to think that plan saved money in the short term, but robbed them of valuable space.Ó Plans call for contractors to put in the space with the potential to turn it into a training room or emergency operation center. Leaving it unfinished will save $250,000 in initial construction costs.
Still, many saw the price tag of the project as a big concern. ÒThereÕs no way to gloss over the fact that this is expensive,Ó said Silverman. ÒBut the costs are in line with what other projects are costing in the state for public buildings, and the long-term costs to the town are as low as we can make them.Ó Silverman estimated the impact on taxes for a $500,000 property based on a 20-year bond at 5 percent interest is estimated at a $156 increase in the first year with falling rates over the life of the loan and an approximate total cost of $2,400.
Another public informational meeting on the firehouse plans is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, at the Senior Center, 715 Old KingÕs Highway.
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Nov 22nd, 2007