Port Henry Fire Department presents new station proposal

PORT HENRY | On Tuesday, May 12, the Port Henry Fire Department (PHFD) presented the first of two public information sessions on the proposed new fire house. And thanks to a $3.3 million federal grant, a whopping 67% of the project's total cost is already covered, making the funding a true game changer in the department's years-long quest to at long last make a new station a reality. "We have been working on a solution for 25 years for a new building," said PHFD Fire Chief Jim Hughes. "The construction of a new facility will enhance our abilities to maintain our edge and continue to provide superior response, fire suppression, and rescue capabilities. Four years ago, we made a presentation and made an appeal to the public and it was denied, but we clearly understand. We listened intently to all of the criticisms." Hughes is hopeful that in 2026, with financial circumstances having considerably changed for the better thanks to the aggressive and successful pursuit of the multi-million dollar Community Project Funding grant from Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (practically an unheard of triumph), the public will be ready to embrace and approve a new station at the upcoming June 2 referendum. The new station project is being overseen by Sean Foran of Hueber Breuer, the sixth-generation Syracuse-based construction company responsible for new fire stations in Keene, Glenville, Burnt Hills, Charlton, Saratoga Springs, Scotia, Glenville, and soon Ticonderoga. Dating back to 1874, PHFD is one of the oldest fire departments in New York State. With 35 members, PHFD serves a community of 1,800 residents and has a fire response area that spans 28 square miles. The department also supplies mutual aid to 23 other Essex County fire companies. But for a fire department that is so important, their headquarters are not- and haven't been- safe and suitable for decades. The current 14 Church Street building that has housed the department since 1970 is obsolete, antiquated, and in violation of several OSHA codes. Originally Henry's Garage and built in 1911, the structure is showing signs of wear and fatigue; there is mold, there is asbestos, and there is lead paint. The parking lot is riddled with cracks and potholes. Electrical wires are exposed, deteriorated, and devices are not properly grounded. Overhead doors have been known to mechanically fail, collapse, and freeze during wintry weather months, thus preventing them from being opened during an emergency and arguably delaying response times. There is also no ventilation system in the building, and every time volunteers fire up the diesel trucks to respond to a call, all of their turnout gear (at $4,377 per fighter) becomes not only contaminated, but exposes the firemen to a toxic environment that poses grave risks to their health (cancer from toxins is now the number one cause of death in firefighters, an grim fate in exchange for a noble service). The Church Street station is also hemorrhaging money in heating costs alone. "For years 2024-2026, our average cost was $16,507.31 per year," Hughes said. "The average gallons consumed per year equaled 5,156.7 gallons." The building is four stories tall with a large vacant basement under the building that also requires heat. The roof needs replacing, but the station also lacks energy-efficient windows and insulation on the exterior walls and ceilings. "Four years ago, to replace the roof on this building, the estimate was $1,000,000," revealed Moriah Town Supervisor Matt Brassard. "You could spend a million dollars just to fix the roof, or you can spend $1.6 million and get a brand new building." (Though all agreed nobody would ever invest that much into the current station with all of its other major issues, it should be noted that the $3.3 million grant can solely be used for the construction of a new station and cannot be applied to making repairs.) The new station will be located on a 1.47-acre property at 4258 NYS Route 9N/22, where the former A&P grocery store is located. "The new station will be strategically located that will allow us to efficiently address the scope of our areas of responsibility that include fire suppression/rescue, accident victim extrication, ice rescue, dive rescue, water rescue, and HAZMAT response," Hughes shared. "We are responsible for an eight-mile corridor that supports the second most-traveled highway in Essex County, NY. In addition, we not only have HAZMAT concerns for NYS Route 9N/22 but also the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway in addition to AMTRAK travel." At 7,000 square feet, the new station will be constructed of structural steel- no wood- and is expected to last 50- 100 years, at least. In the event of a catastrophic emergency or extreme natural disaster, it will be built to be the last structure in town still standing. The new station will be built to all proper modern-day codes, introducing an unprecedented level of safety and functionality for PHFD. The new building, in Hughes's words, is a bare bones solution that will allow the department to work safely and efficiently. "We currently utilize approximately 10,000 square feet of space in Henry's Garage," Hughes explained. "The solution we proposed four years ago included a 9,948 square foot solution and a three bay, double deep design. In order to save more money, we decreased the footprint by 3,000 square feet by eliminating one double deep bay, reducing the footprint of the Administration side, resulting in the 7,000 square foot design." The total project cost of the new station is not to exceed $4,900,000. At $700 per square foot, the cost is all-inclusive and includes demolition and abatement of the A&P at the new location. The question of the night was the impact on people's taxes. Because Hughes was able to secure the $3.3 million grant, taxpayers will only be responsible for covering the remaining $1.6 million project cost over a 30 year period (for reference, the neighboring town of Ticonderoga taxpayers will be covering $12,980,000 over a 30-year bond for their new firehouse). "That $3.3 million grant is a one in a million lifetime gift from the Gods," Foran emphasized. "In my 20 years of doing this, I have never seen anybody get more than $500,000 in free money for a new fire station." Based on the 30-year bond payback period and an assumed 4.75% interest rate, residents in the Port Henry Fire District will see a tax increase of $74 per assessed $100,000. A home assessed at $150,000 will see a $111 increase, and a home assessed at $200,000 will see a $148 yearly increase for fire protection (currently district residents pay $91 per $100,000). Also important to note, even if property assessments continue to rise every year, once that bond is locked in, there will be no continued increase in taxes for the station; that $74 per 100,000 would be set in stone. "It is against the law in New York State for a project to be over budget," Foran added. "I have done 22 stations, none of them were over budget." Foran said the district will not borrow the money immediately, and that borrowing will occur in stages during design and construction. During that time, the district will pay interest on smaller amounts, with full bond payments beginning after project completion in 2028. A second informational public forum will be held on Tuesday, May 26 at 7 p.m. at the firehouse located at 14 Church Street. Anyone who was unable to attend the first session is strongly encouraged to come to the second forum and have their questions and concerns addressed factually. "We strived to conduct a Public Forum that would contain vital information needed by the public to make an informed decision," said Hughes. "We sincerely listened to the taxpayers four years ago and aggressively acted on their requests." And even though the $3.3 million dollar grant is in the department's pocket, Hughes said PHFD will be continuing to actively explore all avenues to secure financial assistance with the goal of lessening the burden on taxpayers. The scheduled public vote on the new proposal is set for Tuesday, June 2 from noon to 9 p.m. at the Chuch Street station. Per New York State Election Law, registered voters with a primary residence in the Port Henry Fire District are allowed to vote. Also, those who reside full-time in a rental or lease property in the Port Henry Fire District may vote. You cannot vote if you own a business in the Fire District but do not reside in the Port Henry Fire District , nor if you own rental property, but do not reside full-time at that address in the Port Henry Fire District . A website including the complete presentation, as well as a list of FAQ, is live at www.porthenryfire.com. All residents are encouraged to check back regularly for the most up-to-date information as the vote inches closer. All questions submitted will receive a guaranteed response within 24- 48 hours.

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Port Henry Fire Department presents new station proposal

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