Town of Jay in negotiations to reacquire former fire station

AU SABLE FORKS | The Town of Jay is now in negotiations with the Au Sable Forks Fire Department to reacquire the former firehouse to expand the Community Center. Last year, the Au Sable Forks Fire Department moved into its new station on Route 9N, and earlier this month, its staff officially moved into the admin/community side of the building, leaving the former firehouse vacant. "In the original deed, it states that the building would come back to the town if the department were to move, but the department made the compelling argument that they should be compensated at least for the upgrades they made to the building," said Town of Jay Supervisor Matt Stanley, referring to the addition of a bay and commercial kitchen. "We felt that was more than fair." The town board recently approved paying the fire department $100,000 for the upgrades, and the goal is to finalize and close the transaction by the end of summer. Once the transaction is finalized, the plan is to move the offices of the town's Water/Wastewater and Parks & Recreation departments there. Stanley said the town also intends to host its public meetings there, giving them a larger space, and eventually open the existing commercial kitchen up to the public. "In my opinion, it's beneficial to the community that we keep that commercial kitchen," said Stanley, noting that it could not only serve as another potential revenue generator for the town but also be used in emergency situations when the Community Center is used as a shelter. Also, the funds used to purchase the upgraded building will go toward the new station's kitchen. "It's a benefit to the fire district. It's a benefit to the town. It's a benefit to the community. It's really just a win-win for everybody." For years, the Town of Jay has been striving to convert the former school into a welcoming, multi-use space for local residents of all ages. On the first level, there are renovated municipal offices, the town court, the gym, the museum, and ADA-compliant bathrooms and showers. Upstairs, two rooms are occupied by Lindsay Kellet's Youth Gymnastics Program, and the Community Day Use Room is currently open to the public for informational gatherings, games, meetings, and more. The remaining rooms upstairs are either used for storage or vacant. "We've still got a lot to do, but I'm incredibly proud of how far we've come," Stanley said. "Whether it's through infrastructure improvements, new community programs, or simply making our spaces more welcoming and functional, we're working every day to build a stronger, more vibrant Town of Jay." For more information or updates, visit townofjayny.gov.

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Town of Jay in negotiations to reacquire former fire station

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