Steven Spearie
The State Journal-Register
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As council members moved to the debate agenda an ordinance considering the possible purchase of land at 11th and Ash streets for the new home of Fire Station No. 6, they also heard a new figure about “the worst case scenario” in terms of cost for its remediation and environmental clearance.
The figure on the old Honeywell-Hobbs property could rise to $480,000, admitted public works director Nate Bottom.
The city is in the process of getting additional soil samples from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Bottom said.
Hobbs produced controls, switches, lighting systems, battery indicators and meters for the transportation industry on the site before it was shut down for good in late 2010.
As he has contended in the past, Fire Chief Brandon Blough said it was the best location given that it is “a 60-year decision.”
Moving the station two blocks away, from its current location at 2156 S. Ninth St., would also move it from Ward 6 to Ward 2.
DiCenso reiterated her point last week that alternatives need to be considered.
Several of those sites mentioned Tuesday included the old Bel-Aire Motel at Fifth and Stanford, 11th and Laurel and property by Scheels.
Mayor Jim Langfelder wondered what walking away from the 11th and Ash property might mean, though he did acknowledge the city needs to have alternatives.
“If we don’t (put the station there), does it ever get developed?” Langfelder asked. “We should look at it for response (time for fire crews). I think that’s the chief’s aspect. The other side of it is for economic development. It does stabilize areas.”
Fire equipment approval
A request for purchase of six new fire engines and one new quint fire truck came in at about $400,000 less than the next bid, Blough said. The total purchase price is just under $5.2 million and the ordinance was moved to next week’s consent agenda.
The equipment should arrive in 7 to 14 months, Blough said, and will be placed in stations that run the most.
Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin reminded Blough that new fire equipment wasn’t even in the original budget request.
At “the big ask” on Feb. 8, Blough gave alderpersons a snapshot of the ages of the department’s engines and trucks along with industry “best practices,” opening the eyes of some alderpersons about the realities facing the department.
“This is a historic time,” Ward 1 Ald. Chuck Redpath said. “I don’t recall in the 30 plus years we’ve bought this much equipment.”
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Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 