Talks heat up about new Milton fire station
Other business
In other actions Tuesday, the Milton City Council:
-- Postponed to May 19 a discussion of Alliant Energy's request to expand its substation. Alliant requested the delay to try to address neighbors' concerns.
-- Approved a second reading of an ordinance that would give the city council power to revoke or amend conditional use permits if businesses aren't meeting the requirements in the permits.
The city discussed the resolution after problems arose with the United Ethanol plant. City Attorney Mark Schroeder believes the ordinance would apply to pre-existing conditional use permits, including the ethanol plant permit, he said.
The ordinance still requires a third reading and adoption.
MILTON — The Milton Joint Fire Department has talked for years of the need for a new fire station, and it appears the city council is ready to start turning talk into action.
Especially if the federal government might pick up most of the tab.
The city council heard a presentation from fire Chief Loren Lippincott on Tuesday about options for a new fire facility.
The existing building, built in the 1970s, is cramped, poorly equipped and in bad condition, Lippincott said. It has cracks over the door, and water seeps into the concrete blocks.
A 2008 consultant study found the station lacks showers and locker rooms for women, adequate sleeping space, and storage and work space.
"The building is basically falling down around one of (the doors)," Lippincott said.
The city and town of Milton split fire costs 50-50, so any discussion of a new facility must include the town. Lippincott will make a similar presentation to the town board Monday, he said.
Lippincott presented three options for a new fire department:
-- A basic new fire station.
-- A fire station combined with a new city police station. The police station also is old and in need of upgrades, police Chief Jerry Schuetz said.
-- A main fire station and a smaller auxiliary one, one on each side of the railroad tracks, with or without a police department in one of them.
Train tracks divide the northern and southern parts of the city, which could cause a problem if the fire department ever has to get to an incident south of the tracks when a train is passing, Lippincott said.
The options could cost between $2.5 million and $4.1 million, according to a developer Lippincott talked to.
But the city and town wouldn't necessarily have to pay for all of it. Lippincott has applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that would pay for 80 percent of the project.
"We're in a good position" to get the grant, Lippincott said.
He also has applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that would pay for 90 percent of the project.
Either way, the city and town would have to determine how to divide up the remaining portion.
Council members said the time has come to address the fire station's needs. Several said they favored two buildings.
"If you get an EMS call for a heart attack, you don't have 10, 15 minutes to wait for a train," council member Dave Adams said. "I'd hate to lose even one person because of the train tracks."
Lippincott created a preliminary, conservative timeline for the project that includes approval of a plan in 2010 and construction in 2012.
Mayor Tom Chesmore said he believes the community will support the project, even during the recession.
"I've never known the citizens of this community to turn their backs on something that is a necessity for their lives," he said. "I realize times are very tough right now. People are going to complain. But it's time."
May 8, 2009 at 1:09 p.m.
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Brewernut sounds like a fulltimer, only an idiot would cut down other areas because they are vols. And I would bet Brewernut has saved everyone he has ever worked on. If your not a fulltimer Brewernut then you should just shut up and go curl up by your dish in a corner.
May 7, 2009 at 12:39 p.m.
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How many people have died waiting for a train? You probably wont give that out becuase of a chance you could get sued... Probably less than die waiting for voulenteer response times.. If on a good day it takes 3 minutes to get an ambulance rolling, you have lost 1/2 of the time you need. For those who live in the township, get your doctor to install an implanted defib, because you wont get it from milton, or edgerton or any other small community because you life is not economically feasable to save.
May 7, 2009 at 9:21 a.m.
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This is Milton Alderman Brett Frazier. I absolutely think, and I've said this before, that the new high school fiasco is a good example of ego driving public policy.
That being said, what we're looking at with the new fire station is in the very beginning stages and is driven by a need to either repair or replace the current station AND the existence of possible grant money to pay for a large part of it. I DO NOT believe raising taxes is an option to pay for this project. I am hopeful that the grants are a possibility, but I expressed at the last Council meeting that I would like to start investigating possible funding sources now, before we get our hearts set on this. I also expressed my belief that this project needs to be presented honestly to the citizens of Milton and that they need to be the ones who are either behind this project or against it. There is a need and I do believe a new station is most likely the way to go due to a couple big factors: the current location is not ideal to serve the community and the current building will require some significant dollars to repair. I hope that in the coming weeks and months that people who have ideas or concerns will come to myself or other council members or the mayor and voice those ideas. I can only speak for myself, but I want to hear from people who care...regardless of what side they're on.
May 7, 2009 at 9:12 a.m.
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Women firefighters were not the basis of this story. What's that all about??
May 7, 2009 at 8:43 a.m.
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I live in Milton and hear the sirens several times a day, whether it be for fire and/or ambulance calls. I also understand they cover most, if not all, of Harmony Township, too.
May 7, 2009 at 8:37 a.m.
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Isnt milton a volunteer firestation? How offen do those trucks get used. Milton already wants a new high school and to convert the old one into a middle school, thats going cost millions. Times are obviously tough right now and no one wants their taxes raised. If they do get one of the grants from the Federal Gov, then come to the people with a plan on how to pay the rest.
May 7, 2009 at 7:05 a.m.
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Very sexist and totally uncalled for with regards to the women FF! (seems funny "biggirl"is your username) What is comes down to is Milton NEEDS a new fire station and with more increased train traffic due mainly to the ethanol plant...we need some services on both sides of the track. This is a safety issue Milton - wake up! Stop complaining! Let's just hope when you need a fire engine or EMS crew you are not on the wrong side of the track! Raise my taxes! This is a worthwhile cause!
May 7, 2009 at 4:11 a.m.
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"I'm not sure most women can actually manage the strength requirements that should be a prerequisite for this demanding job"
Wow, sexist much?
May 7, 2009 at 3:22 a.m.
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there is no reason to complain about a new fire station. complain about something else, like this comment.
May 6, 2009 at 10:20 p.m.
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They (women) train next to men during FF school, and all continual training while on the service.. Just because there are women on a service, does not mean they are under a disadvantage, either size or strength..... women have been on Fire services for years, I have worked next to them for years, the do fine (sometimes even better than their male conterpart)..
the Pre-req's are the same for men and women,,, I do agree that this would be a good story (or at least a follow up)
May 6, 2009 at 9:52 p.m.
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Sure, the economy is down, people are fleeing the area, but raise our taxes yet again. This time you'll actually have to raise them rather than raising them through inaccurate assessments based on pre-bubble home prices.
I'm not sure most women can actually manage the strength requirements that should be a prerequisite for this demanding job. This would be a good idea for a story. What kind of strength requirements and other requirements are there for a firefighter?
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