By Tara Figurski
Staff Writer
Six architectural firms are interested in designing Truro Township’s new fire station.
Last November, township voters approved a levy to allow the township to construct a new fire station, replacing its existing fire station at 6900 Main St. The 2.5 mill levy is a five-year levy that will general $1.1 million. in its first year.
“We got six statements of qualifications,” said Assistant Truro Fire Chief Jeff Sharps.
Submitting statements of qualifications for the project were BSHM Architects, Inc.; Williams Architects; Mull & Weithman Architects, Inc.; JBA Architects; Moody Nolan and KZF Design, according to Truro Township Administrator Jason Nicodemus.
Sharps said the township has developed a report card to evaluate the architectural firms. After the grades are put together and then finalized, the township will narrow the list to three candidates.
“Basically we are looking at the credentialing of the members of the firm,” Sharps said.
The township will also look at some of the past projects and whether they were completed on time and within budget, he said.
Sharps said he would hope to have a firm selected and presented to the trustees by their March meeting.
Once an architect has been selected, then it will be time to start negotiating a contract for their services, according to Sharps. At that point, township officials and the firm will start discussing the design of the fire station and gathering input from members of the department and the community at large.
“We want feedback from all of the stakeholders within the township,” Sharps said. “This fire station is going to be here much longer than any of us. We want to make sure it’s right. It’s community money we are using so we take that very seriously.”
Sharps said he and Truro Fire Chief Steve Hein will rely heavily on input from the architectural firm as neither have experience in building a new station.
Sharps was pleased with the statements of qualifications the firm received. He said township officials didn’t know what to expect, but were pleased with the results.
“We’re happy with the firms,” he said. “We had a chance to start looking through the firms. It seems like they are very experienced. Some have designed and constructed a lot of firehouses.”
New trustee named
The trustees appointed former township trustee Dennis Nicodemus to fill the vacant, one year term, seat of Trustee Barb Strussion. Strussion announced her retirement at the trustees’ December meeting. Nicodemus previously served the township as trustee from December 2002 through Dec. 31, 2013.
