Bid for New AL Fire Station is $375K Over Budget

Nov. 6—The lowest construction bid for the new Decatur Fire Station No. 5 came in last week roughly $375,000 over budget, city officials said Thursday.

Purchase Agent Charles Booth said Brad Slater Construction, of Leoma, Tennessee, submitted a $3.375 million bid as the lowest of seven bids submitted for a new station planned for 2704 Danville Road S.W. across from Austin Middle School.

The previous City Council voted 4-1 in September to approve construction of a new fire station for a cost not to exceed $3.25 million. The cost includes engineering and the architect's fee, so only about $3 million is left for the station.

The new station is planned as a 9,000-square-foot, two-bay station on roughly 1.5 acres for the 12 firefighters who work out of Station 5. There will be room to expand, possibly adding offices for a battalion chief or additional bays.

Mayor Tab Bowling said Decatur Fire & Rescue officials met with the architect and Slater officials to discuss whether minor design changes could lower the cost.

"As I understand, they couldn't reduce the cost by more than 10% or they would have to put it out for bid again, but they only went down by about $50,000," Bowling said.

Another meeting is scheduled for next week to look at the project again, but Bowling said, "there's not much left to reduce that wouldn't take away from the integrity of the building."

Bowling said they will likely have to go to the new council and ask for an increase in city funds for the project.

"We determined the increase is mainly from the (price) increase in materials," Bowling said.

Bowling said they could hold off on the project until material prices drop or increase the budget for the project.

"We definitely need the project," Bowling said.

— [email protected] or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.

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