MERRIMACK — On Tuesday, the planning board approved a $2 million funding package for the south fire station in building renovations. The northwest station landed on the backburner in its request for assistance in faster arrival times.
The planning board voted 4-2 in favor of urgent spending for the south fire station, with Nelson Disco, Tom Koening, Arthur “Pete” Gagnon and Stanley Bonislawski in support. Alastair Millns and John Segedy served as the lone voices in opposition.
Millns said he voted against urgent funding because “the financial climate is deteriorating rapidly” and the station could afford renovations to be put on hold for at least another year. He proposed the project receive a desirable vote so it can be reviewed again as a priority in 2009. His motion was turned down.
Meanwhile, Disco said the town is anxious for recommendations from the board for improved structural conditions at the south station, including personal requests from Fire Chief Michael Currier.
“Who are we to say we know more than the professionals? If the fire chief says renovations are necessary, then they are necessary!” said Bonislawski.
A heated debate between Millns and Bonislawski erupted when Millns countered that “we [the planning board members] are given the authority to make these decisions, so it is perfectly fair to say we know a thing or two about what is needed.”
Koening said that “we need to preserve south Merrimack the best we can and if that means approving renovations, then I think we need to vote the project as urgent.”
The latest funding for the station increased $875,000 from the approved $115,000 last year in spending. It is unclear what the money will specifically go to as new negotiations are set to begin for the division of the funds in the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
The planning board then voted 5-1 in favor of necessary spending for the northwest fire station. Bonislawski was the only member opposed to the vote after intense deliberation.
Members were initially split 3-3 for the first two motions of urgent and then desirable spending time frames. Koening, Disco and Gagnon grouped together in support of both proposals; Bonislawski, Millns and Segedy remained in agreement with one another in opposition.
According to the request, northwest Merrimack not only lacks a sufficient number of fire hydrants, but as a result, fire stations take approximately six minutes to arrive in response to emergencies. The national ideal response time is four minutes.
Millns voted against the urgent and desirable motions, but emphasized that he believes the northwest fire station is much more important than the south station. “I feel it in my bones,” he said, “that giving the south station an urgent vote when the northwest needs more attention is just wrong.”
Segedy sided with Millns and said the “footwork is all the same” between both fire stations and urgent spending was simply unnecessary at this point in time.
However, Koening, said an urgent voting was equally important for the northwest station as the south station because it “flies in the face of the professionals we rely on if we set time periods when a request was made for immediate action.”
A “necessary” vote pushes the project back at least another year. When it is discussed again in late 2009, it will most likely be voted and passed as “desirable” – in which case, no real action will occur until after 2011.
The funding in question for both fire stations would come from the Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
CIP serves as a branch of the Finance Department centering around funding projects that would improve the wellness for citizens in Merrimack. The Finance Department approximated the 2008-2009 capital reserve fund transfers at $7,245,429.
In other planning board business, members unanimously voted in favor for a condominium conveyance by Corbin Detail Builders and the expansion of a driveway crossing for homeowner John Upton.
A presentation by the Lower Merrimack River Local Advisory Committee also took place where representatives encouraged the planning board to formally adopt the corridor management plan.
Planning board members enjoyed the power point, but agreed that the discussion needs to be revisited when Merrimack reworks the town’s master plan.
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