Town set to lose 150K in fire funds
Published on April 11th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - The town will likely lose nearly $150,000 in funding that State Rep. Paul Casey (D-Winchester) captured last year for the rehabilitation of the Stoneham fire station.
During a Selectmen's meeting this Tuesday, Washington Street resident Marcia Wengen explained that the local Historical Commission was pitching a warrant article this May, so that at least $50,000 of the $200,000 appropriation could be used before it vanishes.
Specifically, the proposal will allow town officials to slap a preservation label on the fire station, placed on the National Registrar of Historic Places in 1994.
By doing so, the state's Historical Commission will then allow the release of funding, but several clauses in the preservation designation will almost certainly prevent the entire $200,000 figure from being utilized.
"We're running out of time. That money disappears on June 30," explained Wengen, referring to the date on which the current fiscal year ends. "If we can get approval at Town Meeting, Mass Historical will allow us to use up to $50,000."
According to Acting Fire Chief Joe Rolli, he began investigating how the state appropriation could be used after learning that Casey had lobbied to get the $200,000 for Stoneham during budget deliberations at the State House last year.
However, by the time the fire department veteran discovered that Town Meeting would have to place a preservation restriction on the building, the regular Special Town Meeting in October had already come and gone.
The $50,000 that the state's Historical Commission authorized the town to use, if May Town Meeting approves the warrant article, would specifically be slated towards hiring an architect, who would do a study of the fire station.
Once released, that study would then outline a blueprint of maintenance and repairs that should occur at the fire station to preserve its integrity. According to Wengen, part of the $50,000 would also be slated for a rehabilitation of the fire station's kitchen area, located just feet away from fire apparatus in the vehicle bays.
"We will not get the other $150,000," said Rolli, who didn't believe that town officials could hire an architect, have the study completed, and then receive authorization to complete additional repairs before July 1.
According to Finance Board member Stephen Born, who is also an architect, the Selectmen and other officials needed to weigh the receipt of the $50,000 against some of the strict language included in the preservation designation.
In approving the label, Born explained, the townspeople would be agreeing to never tear down the old fire station to rebuild another structure.
In addition, the language of the preservation restriction would also mean that any addition or rehabilitation of the building would have to be done in a manner that matches the character of the existing architecture.
The Mass. Historical Commission would also have to give its explicit authorization of any major renovation projects being considered at the Central Street station.
"I think what is perhaps the most controversial is that you can never tear that structure down," the Melba Lane resident said. "I think we would all hate to see that building torn down in the future, so maybe it isn't too restrictive."
"For the windows and doors, you can caulk it, you can paint it, and you can replace it. But if you want to do a wholesale replacement, the Mass. Historical Commission has to approve it. The goal is not to stop us from making changes, but to just make sure we make the right changes," Wengen furthered.
Subscribe and get Home Delivery of The Independent
Save 36% off the newstand price — that's like 18 FREE issues!