The 1924 Central Fire Station on Congress Street in Rumford is bathed in pink light during October in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Voters in January approved a $5.4 million bond and acceptance of $1 million from the federal government to build a new station in the Falmouth Street area. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times
RUMFORD — Construction of a new Central Fire Station, which was supposed to get underway this fall, has been delayed until the spring because of federal financing delays.
Town leaders agreed with that action Thursday evening after a report by Town Manager Stacy Carter.
“We were moving along pretty well and then we got the paperwork from the federal government, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, on actions we needed to take in order to secure the million dollar funding, which kind of in itself put the brakes on temporarily with that (construction) process,” he said.
Carter told selectmen what followed was a required environmental analysis of the site. “That was completed last week, and we’re in the process of getting that turned in to their federal reporting system. So that takes a bit of time.”
There were no significant findings.
“We’re going through those federal hoops. Unfortunately, it’s going to put us quickly into frozen ground,” Carter said.
Port City Architecture in Portland designed a new Central Fire Station for Rumford at Falmouth Street and Essex Avenue. Voters will decide Tuesday on whether to fund the project. Submitted photo
At a special town meeting in January, residents approved a $5.4 million bond and acceptance of $1 million from the federal government to build a new Central Fire Station in the Falmouth Street area.
The town manager said with federal interest rates going up to try to curb inflation, hopefully it brings prices down.
“Rather than start in the middle of winter, I think it’s more viable to start in the springtime. It’s more conducive to get our bids out in January and be on the radar for somebody’s summer project,” he said.
“We had originally thought we could start in the fall and have enough done so we could work through the winter, but because of the federal requirements, we wouldn’t be able to start until after freezing, most likely,” he said.
“Since the start of the budget, it has been over the $5.4 million. We have worked to make changes to trim it down, but until we go out to bid and get prices, $5.4 million is still just an estimate,” noted Carter.
The Central Fire Station on Congress Street, which was built in 1924, has cracks throughout because the floor cannot hold the weight of the five fire engines and two trailers. The floor was reinforced in 1991, but the cracks have continued to spread, officials said.
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