ORANGE — Residents will have to vote to accept $561,906 in grant money and to spend up to $100,000, both for upgrades to the Orange Fire Department, this month.
On Wednesday, the Selectboard voted unanimously to schedule a Special Town Meeting for Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall to vote on eight articles, the bulk of which concern the fire department.
The $561,906 on the table is a small part of recent money awarded to 18 Massachusetts fire departments through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant program.
The fire department hopes to purchase an air compressor refill unit and a fire engine with the money. If voters approve the money at the Special Town Meeting, Orange will have to match 5 percent of the spending — approximately $28,095 — according to a post on the fire department’s Facebook page.
“This is very, very important for the safety of our residents and visitors, our community and our firefighters, and we appreciate your support,” the same post reads.
Fire Chief James Young made his pitch for repairing the roof and other structural damage at the fire station Wednesday, another item that will appear on the warrant.
“As we know, the fire station is old,” Young said of the building constructed in 1936.
The roofing on the rear portion of the building has a rubber membrane that has been “patched more times than I can count,” Young said, adding that he suspects wooden portions of the building beneath the roof have rotten.
Young also cited “major structural beams” in the building that have large cracks in them, which must be repaired. The building, he said — and Selectboard member Tom Smith agreed — is in general disrepair.
“We have three indoor water features every time it rains,” Young joked darkly.
According to Young, Building Inspector Phil Harris has inspected the building and does not believe the roof would survive another winter with heavy snow.
Estimates for all the repairs are around $20,000, but Young said $25,000 is needed for a bit of a “cushion” in case more damage, like rotting wood, is discovered beneath the roof.
Newly appointed Town Administrator Gabriele Voelker said $100,000 will be on the warrant article for the repairs, as the exact cost is hard to predict. However, she said it will be made clear to voters that only the amount of money necessary will be spent from that $100,000.
“If we make this article too tight, we won’t have the ability to fix (what is necessary),” Voelker said. “We will not spend $100,000 if we don’t have to. We will spend exactly the cost.”
Young added that the fire department gets $4,000 a year for maintenance on the station and the fire department’s other smaller building, not enough to make the necessary repairs.
According to Selectboard member James Cornwell, at least 75 residents must show up Aug. 16 to meet quorum at the Special Town Meeting.
Cornwell expressed hope that residents would come and continue what has been a “good few weeks” for the town, considering the grant money available for the fire department, the return of Town Hall phones to working order and another $800,000 from the Community Development Block Grant program to provide housing rehabilitation assistance to 15 units.
“Yeah, we’ve got problems, but we’re working on them,” Cornwell said. “We need 75 people. We can do this.”
Selectboard Chairman Ryan Mailloux shared Cornwell’s optimism about recent happenings in Orange, as did Voelker, who praised the “community building” she’s seen lately.
“Please, come. This is an incredible opportunity, especially with these grants,” Mailloux said.
“Vote ‘yes,’ as recommended by me,” he added with a laugh.