Temporary fabric structure to house fire apparatus is under construction on N. Surrey Avenue.
VENTNOR – The Board of Commissioners Thursday, Feb. 18 approved a $3.5 million bond ordinance appropriating funds to rebuild Fire Station No. 2 on Wellington Avenue in the Ventnor Heights section.
There were no members of the public in attendance to speak for or against it during the public hearing.
“This is a good move forward for that firehouse,” said Commissioner Lance Landgraf who attended the meeting via telephone. “It really needs replacement.”
Construction of a fabric building to temporarily house fire apparatus commences on N. Surrey Avenue.
Commissioner Tim Kriebel said the appropriation was a good alternative to spending $1.5 million for repairs to the aging fire station, which no longer meets National Fire Protection Association and Federal Emergency Management Agency regulations.
“It’s beyond repair,” Mayor Beth Holtzman said.
Fire Chief Michael Cahill said having a firehouse in the Heights is a must, because the neighborhood it is separated from the rest of the city by the inland waterway and the aging, county-owned Dorset Avenue bridge, which sometimes gets stuck in the open position. The building is also not sufficient housing for the firefighters who live there during their shifts.
The bond appropriates $3.5 million to fund engineering, architectural design, permitting and bidding documentation, along with the demolition, site work and reconstruction of the firehouse, which Cahill said was built in 1972 as a temporary replacement for an older firehouse located at the foot of the water tower a few blocks away.
Cahill said the fire department will soon start moving non-essential equipment to a temporary structure being built around the corner on the 300 block of N. Surrey Avenue to accommodate the station’s apparatus and an ambulance.
Mahaffey Tent Awning Fabric Structures of Memphis, Tennessee was awarded a $103,330 contract last November to erect the temporary fabric structure, which Cahill said was nearly completely assembled.
“The doors will be going in tomorrow,” he said.
The city is currently reviewing 11 bids received for the new building for accuracy and adherence to the bid specifications that meet federal, state and local contract guidelines.
Contract for the new firehouse will be awarded at the commission’s March 14 meeting, Cahill said.
When demolition of the older building starts, firefighters will move into their new digs in the temporary structure, he said.
In other business, the commission accepted the retirements of three longtime police officers, including Deputy Chief Howard Bloom, Capt. Charles Wood Jr. and Sgt. Bernard B. Jenkins. All three officers will be retiring effective April 1.
The board also awarded a $15,000 contract to DeBlasio & Associates PC of Wildwood to engineer improvements needed at various city playgrounds. It also awarded a $26,000 contract to Doran Engineering of Pleasantville to engineer building improvements at the library and community center. Landgraf said the improvements include new windows, doors and cafeteria improvements.
