Clarence Fire District bond proposal set for tomorrow

[The Bees]

by Steven Jagord


Voters that reside in Clarence Fire District No. 1 will have the opportunity to vote on a $1.5 million bond resolution that would help renovate and expand current facilities located at 10355 Main St.
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[WNYresident]

Voters that reside in Clarence Fire District No. 1 will have the opportunity to vote on a $1.5 million bond resolution that would help renovate and expand current facilities located at 10355 Main St. During a public presentation in the district’s fire hall Thursday evening, Clarence Fire Commissioner Dave Bissonette explained how planning for the proposal had been years in the making and that it will address multiple issues with the current building, which is more than 40 years old.

What items do they have now that they don't have room for?

A proposal to build a new fire hall at a cost of about $6 million was defeated years ago by voters. Bissonette called the current plan more economically responsible and fiscally sound. The total cost for the project is $3.5 million. The district will have about $2 million saved in its building reserve fund by the time the project gets underway if approved, leaving a $1.5 million gap.

What happens if they don't have $2,000,000 saved when they project begins?

“In the last three years this board has worked very diligently to save every dime they could while maintaining fire services for the district,” Bissonette said. “But this plan is very aggressive and limiting in damage from an interest perspective.”

Why not just save for another 2 years for the $1.5 million? Is the current building falling down? Do they have fire equipment that is being stored outside because there is no room inside?

The project will mostly address space and safety issues with a 7,000-foot, 3-bay addition on the hall’s eastern side.

Safety issues as in? What three pieces of equipment do they need 3 addition bays for?

And according to Bissonette, the current facility is out of compliance with handicap accessibility requirements, fire inspection standards and Occupational Safety and Health Administration expectations. Office and storage space will also be addressed.

Does it really take $3.5 million to add a ramp, wider door and perhaps a lift so that handicap people can visit? Are the current bathroom not handicap accessible?

What in the current building doesn't pass fire inspection standards. Seeing it's a fire hall from the start how could that be?

What are Health Administration expectations?

“Storage archives for the district is a legal responsibility and we have very little space for that type of long-term development as records continue to expand and we need to be able to house that properly,” Bissonette said.

What type of items does a volunteer fire hall need to store for archival purposes? Paper work can be digitally scanned and saved instead of in file cabinets.

The addition will better accommodate modern fire equipment, which is much larger than the vehicles used decades ago.

“Forty years ago, fire equipment wasn’t that size,” Bissonette said. “This equipment is larger than ever to handle heavy-duty jobs and we need to be able to accommodate it properly and be able to work in and around it safely.”

Was the current building built 40 years ago?

What will happen to the original bays then? Will they be walled off and only the 3 new bays utilized?

What type of "heavy duty jobs" do volunteer firemen do now that they didn't do 25 years ago?

Just asking... I'm curious.

Is the presentation online?

[WNYresident]

Building is large as it is. Is the current space being fully utilized?





Are they thinking of added 3 more bays next to the existing 4? Or bays in the back?

[gorja]

The current building was built in 1973. That's their 3rd building.
The first one was built in 1900 on Academy hill.


The 2nd one was built in 1955 on Bodine

[WNYresident]

And I'm not saying they should not spend the money.. I'm just asking.

I've been in that building a few times. It is rather large.

[grump]

And I'm not saying they should not spend the money.. I'm just asking.

I've been in that building a few times. It is rather large.

So you've been there a few times? Why not tell us if the bathrooms are are accessible to the handicapped?

[WNYresident]

I didn't have to use the bathrooms.

[gorja]

Originally posted by WNYresident:
Are they thinking of added 3 more bays next to the existing 4? Or bays in the back?

The article states that the addition will be on the east side which is the left side when facing the building. That area only looks to be about the width of a driveway.

[gorja]

The current building was built in 1973. That's their 3rd building.
The first one was built in 1900 on Academy hill.


The 2nd one was built in 1955 on Bodine

In 1959, I lived in the fire hall built in 1900. Parker elementary school was across the street and the playground backed up to the fire hall built in 1955. While living there, I piled a bunch of fall leaves on a picnic table in the school playground. I lit them up so I could burn leaves like the neighbors. Once the picnic table caught on fire, the firemen came and put it out and I caught hell.

[grump]

I didn't have to use the bathrooms.

I suppose you didn't notice if there were any symbols indicating if the crappers were accessible either?

[WNYresident]

No. I wasn't there looking to use the bathrooms or to inspect if they were labeled as handicapped accessible.

[Dan Roman]

Passed 155-36, so the voters decided that a firehall addition was necessary.

[WNYresident]

191 people voted out of how many living in the town?

That vote should have been held during the general election in 2015 when many more people turn out to vote.

[Dan Roman]

Should have , but that's the way it's done. Like the school budget vote held on a night when now a school play is scheduled so all the lazy parents go out to vote unlike before.

[WNYresident]

Population in 2010: 30,673. Population change since 2000: +17.4%

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/city/Claren...#ixzz3ZPhUeclo


Apparently they are doing something right in Clarence with lower property taxes compared to the surrounding towns. According to that fact their population grew 17.4%. Does anyone know if it has continued to grow from 2010 to 2014?


Still 191 people voted out of 30,673. They should have waited until the general election for that vote. Same goes for any other volunteer fire group in any town.