Fire hall upgrade approaching in New Richmond

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The New Richmond City Council has approved the financing for a fire hall remodeling project. At its regular meeting Monday, the council also approved a motion to seek bids for the project.

According to Fire Chief Jim VanderWyst, the project will include a training room for up to 60 people (replacing a training space big enough for just 20).

He said the current staff of the fire department totals 40, so there is room for more in case the crew grows in the future.

The upgrade will also include showers and laundry facilities for washing gear. VanderWyst said it’s important that crew members can wash up at the hall rather than take contaminated items home to clean.

The entrance to the fire hall will be the facility’s entrance. VanderWyst said now there is no real public entrance, and people have to walk next to the fire trucks to get back to the offices.

The new layout will have an office area that will be separate from the trucks and equipment storage.

“It makes for a safer environment for the public,” VanderWyst said.

VanderWyst said cost projections show the cost of the renovation project could total about $525,000.

Council member Jim Zajkowski said the city is responsible for paying 51 percent of the cost of the project. The participating townships and the Village of Star Prairie will pay 49 percent of the project.

Zajkowski said the city will finance the entire project, the other municipalities will be allowed to pay off their portion of the debt over a maximum of 10 years.

The council approved applications to the State Trust Fund Loan program for financing for the project. The interest rate on the loan would be about 2.75 percent. The city hopes to receive approval of the loans in a couple months so the project can proceed.

In a related matter, the council also approved a motion to apply for the low-interest state trust fund loans to refinance its debt related to the purchase of a new police department building and to debt associated with one of its tax increment financing districts.

For the complete story, see this week's New Richmond News.

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