Looking at hard numbers as firehouse funding hits a wall

FALLS VILLAGE — After 15 years of planning and land acquisition, fundraising and applying for grants,  and even some construction, the new firehouse project is short by almost three-quarters of its projected cost.
The amount needed? A cool $2.3 million.
That was the sobering reality presented to members of the Board of Finance, the selectmen  and the public by the Falls Village Volunteer Fire Department’s building committee during an informational meeting at Town Hall on Thursday, Dec. 16.
Beckie Seney presided over a PowerPoint presentation that recapped the need for a new firehouse, the work done so far, and what costs the town is likely to incur moving forward.
Seney also provided information on what it would cost to have professional emergency services, by way of comparison.
The current Railroad Street home of the fire department is severely cramped. “We can’t get to the ice machine, the water meter or the furnace unless we pull the trucks up� out of the bays, Seney said.
Seney showed a photograph of the existing office space. It looked like a closet in which someone had stored chairs.
Seney said that donations and fundraising efforts since 2006 have produced mixed results. In 2008, for instance, a single large donation brought that year’s donations to more than $20,000, and fundraising in 2009 was strong at about $30,000.
But the 2010 numbers are way down, with donations at $15,000 and fundraising at about $8,000.
The department sponsors events such as the Ed McGuire Memorial Culligan Cannonball Run, a 5-kilometer road race, the Firemen’s Ball and events at Music Mountain.
But “It’s a lot of work and doesn’t bring in a lot of cash,� Seney said.
So far private donations total $262,250; a capital campaign netted $54,490; and two  grants from the state total $450,000 — or they will, when the state sends the check.
The first phase of site work at 188 Route 7 South is complete. That includes septic, a driveway  and the hole for the cellar.
Architectural, mechanical and civil engineering plans are ready, as is a bid-ready project specifications book.
But the job is in limbo until the state releases funds from one of the grants, and even then the question of long-term funding remains.
The need is there
Other fire departments in the area have built new firehouses in recent years, after experiencing the same sort of problems with outmoded buildings, too small to house modern equipment.
Seney pointed to Kent as the closest comparison. The new Kent firehouse, including space for the ambulance squad, cost $3.1 million.
Seney emphasized that the plans for the Falls Village firehouse are about as spartan as they can be and still cover the town’s emergency services needs. Referring to an often-repeated comment from the discussions in Kent, she said, “This is no Garage Mahal.�
Seney then provided examples of the cost of bonding the remainder of the project versus the cost of a professional department. If the town were to bond the $2.5 million over 20 years at 4.25 percent interest, spread out over the town’s 775 property owners, the cost would amount to about $20 a month per property owner for the next 20 years.
Using a $1 million per year figure for the cost of a professional emergency services department (the number comes from John Field of the Torrington Fire Department), the monthly cost per property owner would be $108.
A professional department would still need a new firehouse, so add the cost of a facility to the $1 million per year figure.
Nobody is considering the professional option.
First Selectman Pat Mechare said that with a special act of the Legislature it is possible a firehouse bond could be for 40 years, which would spread the tax impact out further.