Peru Fire Station expansion goes to referendum vote

PERU | Plans to expand the Peru Volunteer Fire Department fire station on Bear Swamp Road have adjusted to add steel and fireproof framing. Courtney Tetrault, vice chair of the Peru Board of Fire Commissioners, said renovation has to incorporate Class A construction. A concept design for the fire department's station expansion was presented to community last March. They proposed a 3,500-foot expansion for a total $3.8 million. With public comments in place, commissioners moved toward bonding. "When we started getting involved with bond council and looking at funding, they told us that because there's existing wood frame construction, which is Class B, we could only do a 15-year loan," Tetrault said in an interview with The Sun. "In order to go out 25 years, we have to make it a class A construction." It means builders would remove wooden beam and frame elements and replace them with steel and fire resistant materials. To contain costs, the fire district would expand their station out 40 feet instead of 50, Tetrault said. "We are bringing the front out 40 feet, not 50. We raised our bond amount to not exceed $5 million," Tetrault said. "We're hoping not to spend that, and hopefully interest rates will start coming down." A reduction by 10 feet out front still provides room to add a decontamination area for firefighters and gear, larger apparatus bays and an air pack refill station, Tetrault said. The expansion still incorporates new energy efficient heating equipment, a storage area and lockers. The addition of a fitness area remains in place, saving the department annual costs for members' gym and fitness center fees. The front door entrance on Bear Swamp road would remain the same as shown in the design. The fire department would have engineers work Class A changes into final specification drawings. "We didn't want to have the engineering firm go through the whole design phase again," Tetrault added. As framing is replaced, the commissioner said, the department may rearrange the existing layout of meeting and office space. REFERENDUM VOTE 6-9 PM, SEPT. 3 Going out 25 years at $5 million, the tax impact would add 0.06683 per thousand dollars of real property value, or $66.83 per $100,000. It is about 14 cents more per thousand than the original estimate. The current fire tax rate is $1.06 per $1,000. The Peru Volunteer Fire Department scheduled a referendum vote for Tuesday, Sept. 3. Registered voters in Peru can weigh in from 6 to 9 p.m. at the fire station, 753 Bear Swamp Rd. If approved, the fire commission would move forward and hire engineers to complete specification drawings. Tetrault said the district will continue to look for grant funding to support the project. The fire station was built in 1973. If approved, construction would likely begin in 2026. Residents or fire district voters with questions can send them via email to: treasurer@perufiredistrict.com

Signup for our newsletter

Peru Fire Station expansion goes to referendum vote

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS