WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — AUGUST 13 UPDATE: The Williamsburg City Council voted to scrap its current plans to build a second fire station, preferring to completely demolish Williamsburg's current fire station and rebuild it. The mayor said the city will continue to look into opportunities to build a second station, down the road.
A new fire station debate is growing in Williamsburg.
In March 2019, City Council unanimously approved the city manager’s $11.2 million recommendation to build a second fire station and renovate the existing one. This action was based on more than three years of study by staff using several consultants and rejected the proposal by the previous city manager to stay with the one fire station, tear it down, and build a new one in the current location.
During a city council work session Monday, a presentation showed the project could now cost anywhere between $16,685,000 and $20,290,000.
But if city leaders were to stick with one single replacement station at the current site, that would cost between $13,025,000 and $15,845,000.
President of the York County, City of Williamsburg, City of Poquoson, James City County Professional Fire Fighters, Paramedics and 911 Dispatchers (IAFF Local 2498) Don Dinse said a second fire station is long overdue.
“A promise made should be a promise kept,” Dinse said. “Citizens were promised Station 2 to reduce response time to save lives and property.”
Dinse said a second fire station would improve response times. He fears the second facility might get put on the back burner.
“You can build Station 1 as big, and fancy and as pretty as you want, but it doesn't reduce response times; station placement does,” Dinse said. “This is about lives, property, and at the end of the day, this was a promise made based on facts.”
A city spokeswoman said since the March 2019 vote much has changed, including a new fire chief, impacts to call volume as a result of changes to mutual aid, the development of a more detailed staffing plan for a two-station solution, and an uncertain financial environment caused by COVID-19. She said these situational changes are substantial enough to warrant further consideration.
On Thursday, City Council will provide staff direction on whether they want to begin the solicitation process to build a second fire station and/or renovate or construct Station 1.
City Councilwoman Barbara Ramsey sent 13News Now a statement which reads:
I am very appreciative of their expertise along with Chief Eagle’s experience to provide us with the specifics to make an informed policy decision on Thursday, the 13th. I respect their proficiency in the field and agree with their position that our primary, central station should be completely rebuilt and now – the conditions were deplorable when I joined City Council in 2016 and have only gotten worse. I am pleased we have the funding and staff (now and budgeted) to construct a state of the art, top-notch Fire station to serve all Williamsburg citizens and our Fire Department staff, both paid professionals and our committed Volunteer Firefighters. I leave the particular details (ie temporary facilities, configuration of personnel/equipment) to our Chief and his qualified staff. My job is to deliberate and determine the best path forward for the City and its residents taking into account the funding we have as well as the unknown economic consequences from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Councilmember Ted Maslin sent 13News Now comments he made during Monday’s woks session:
As we review the presentation, please ask yourself what has changed since City Council directed staff to build the second fire station and make improvements to the current fire station?
Ask yourself why should the community support a new project which will not only cost more than the $11.2 million project approved 17 months ago but will eliminate the community and economic development benefits of the project already approved?
Be reminded that the $11.2 million project is already funded with bonds which must be used for public safety projects.
The Williamsburg City Council has been inviting recommendations from the Fire Department on a station update since 2016 and on August 13, they're set to vote on funding the $16-20 million project.
It's the last step in a four-year series of actions designed to update the existing fire station, and build a new one on Capitol Landing Road.
The city's fire department is currently housed on North Boundary Street, in a building that was constructed in 1977 and expanded in 2009.
According to a presentation by the city, that station suffers several issues that the Fire Department would like addressed in a renovation - including small bay sizes, inadequate decontamination facilities, cramped bunk rooms, faulty sewer lines, 13 roof leaks and a sprinkler system that doesn't span the whole building.
The presentation anticipates that renovating that station could cost between $3.8 and $4.7 million.
The vote, Thursday at 2 p.m., will determine if the City Council decides to go forward with soliciting funds for design and construction work.