Sept. 09--Big Tree Volunteer Fire Company in Hamburg wants to downsize.
Fire company officers Monday night laid out plans to close their two firehouses and build a new one on vacant land that the company bought seven years ago.
Another fire company, Woodlawn, also is planning substantial renovations to its firehouse on Route 5. Both companies needed the approval of the Town Board to borrow money, and they got it Monday night at the regular board meeting.
The 77-year-old Big Tree Company plans to build a 26,000-square-foot hall at a 16-acre site on Big Tree Road near Bristol Road. The company bought the land for $310,000 in 2007.
The project is estimated to cost $3.21 million, of which the fire company plans to borrow about $1.09 million. The company has about $1.15 million in savings and expects to raise more than $1 million by selling the two firehouses on South Park Avenue and Bayview Road. It also expects to save about $46,500 a year by consolidating.
The fire company started looking at its building needs about nine years ago and decided that it would be more cost-effective to put up a new building rather than try to consolidate in either of its buildings.
"Modern apparatus barely fits," said Assistant Chief Christopher P. Zak. "Backing the apparatus in is very difficult."
One location also makes sense in light of dwindling numbers of volunteers, he said. The new building will have drive-through bays for trucks and other equipment, but no banquet facilities, he said.
"We're not in the banquet business anymore," he said.
The annual mortgage payment will be about $72,000, Zak said. He said the company plans to divert some funds from a maintenance account to help make the payment, and does not anticipate asking the town for more money.
"We can afford this without having to come to the town for additional funding," he said.
The two existing buildings would not be put up for sale until the members of the fire company approve the project and the sale of the property, he said.
Woodlawn volunteer firefighters said renovations being planned to their firehouse are the third phase of work started several years ago. It will include refacing of the building, new windows, doors, roof and drywall, said President John E. Kolb.
Representatives from both companies faced questions from Council Member Michael P. Quinn Jr. on whether they would hire companies with apprenticeship programs. Quinn said that while he is a member of a union, he is more concerned that workers have been trained properly in safety precautions.
"We're trying to keep costs down for our taxpayers," Firefighter Patrick J. McAnaney said. "How do you know the nonunion ones don't have training?"
There are some union subcontractors, he said, and the fire company would check with its general contractor about worker training. Big Tree representatives said they could ask that workers on their firehouse have a 10-hour safety course.
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