The Addison Township Board of Trustees voted to approve only half the final payment for the new fire station located on Rochester Rd. just inside the Village of Leonard. The board approved a payment of $11,297.65 to Schonscheck, or just over 50 percent of the $20,440.65 final payment.
‘The chief says there are still some questions remaining and there are some items left to be completed,? explained Township Treasurer Dan Alberty during the meeting.
According to Fire Chief George Spencer, there are two main items not yet complete on the station and he recommended not paying for these until everyone is satisfied with the work. The first item is the trimming along the arches of the doors and windows.
‘This is the first building that they’ve done that has arches like these,? said Spencer. ‘We basically needed to go back to the architects and the drawing board for this one. We didn’t want to pay the labor on this one until we are satisfied.?
The other item is screening for all the new station’s windows. Although the windows do open, regulations require that they be screened.
Spencer said the work is currently being done and he hopes both items will be completed within the next couple of weeks. The final payment to Schonscheck is due in the beginning of October, or 10 days after the final invoice. Township trustees will be reviewing the payment for approval during their regularly scheduled October 4 board meeting.
As for fire department operations, Chief Spencer said everything is settled now to run from the new station. The main offices have been moved from Station Two in Lakeville and about 40 percent of the staff works directly from Leonard. ‘We still respond as a single response department though,? said Spencer. ‘You get the same trucks coming to your house no matter what station they’re coming from.?
Spencer emphasized that the department will run much the same as before: the paid-on-call responders will report to the closest station. There will be no 24-hour staffing at Station Two in Lakeville, but he plans to have 24-hour staffing established at Station One in Leonard by the end of October. This step will include always having one career firefighter/paramedic and one paid-on-call firefighter at the station at all times.
Spencer stated that Station Two is still being used for weekly training sessions and public service sessions. Also, a career firefighter is on the site for around 10-12 hours a week. As for equipment, the department keeps one basic life support truck, or pumper; one ALS ambulance; one tanker; and one brush truck on site. The department’s rescue boat is also stored there.
‘We have guys in and out of that station all week working on the station and the upkeep of the equipment,? said Spencer. ‘It’s not sitting there empty.?
Spencer added that currently his staff response to emergencies is good. He stated that he averages at least 10 firefighters at a scene. At the moment, Spencer said he doesn’t see a need to staff Station Two in Lakeville 24-hours a day, but if the need would arise in the future, he’d look into the option.
‘We have a good turnout with our paid-on-call,? he stated. ‘We’re sitting very well.?