Jaffrey is moving ahead with a major fire station expansion after voters overwhelmingly approved funding for the roughly $3.5 million project at Town Meeting.
Voters backed a bond for the work, 151-10, clearing the way for the town to begin seeking a design-build contractor for the new two-story addition.
The town is now calling for statements of qualifications from interested firms by April 7. Officials are seeking a single company to handle both the design and construction of the project, which would add 9,690 square feet to the fire station.
Plans for the addition include shower and locker room facilities for firefighters to decontaminate after calls, as well as bunk space for emergency responders during extended emergencies when the station serves as an emergency management center.
During the 2008 ice storm, for example, crews slept in the station’s main meeting room, which was used during the day for emergency management operations.
While the department currently has only one full-time employee — the fire chief — and an on-call deputy chief, with the remaining firefighters responding from home or work, the added bunk space could support expanded full-time fire or EMS coverage in the future.
Timeline
Statements of qualifications are due April 7 at 2 p.m. at Jaffrey Town Hall, addressed to Fire Chief David Chamberlain. The town expects to select a shortlist of firms by April 10 and, if a suitable candidate is identified, award a contract April 17 in time for the summer construction season.
Town officials anticipate substantial completion by the end of the year.
Submissions, limited to 50 pages, must include a cover letter, firm or team information and history, relevant design-build experience from the past 10 years, key personnel and their experience, and the team’s proposed approach and capacity.
A full list of submission requirements is available on the town’s website.