Residents Voice Opposition to Location of New Fire Station
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
Residents of Pleasant and School streets and Jackson Avenue packed city council chambers Tuesday night to say putting a new fire station at the head of Mechanic Street is a bad idea, and it's not welcome there.
But if all goes well – assuming the city gets the federal grant in the first place – the building wouldn't go there anyway.
Councilman Ross Neidich, who oversees the fire department said, "We have a good lead, I think, on something that would make everybody happy including us. Let's just hope that comes to fruition."
After the meeting, Neidich and Fire Chief Boo Coder said because they are still in negotiations with the property owners they didn't want to publicly talk about the site.
During the meeting, Jackson Avenue resident Dave Lamborn said one of the reasons he's against having a fire station at the former Third Ward School site is that it would take away the possibility of the property ever getting back on the tax rolls.
You keeping losing money, he told council, "and now you people have got your rear end up against the wall with a $500,000 deficit and you don't know where to come up with it. Putting a fire station there is a bad idea."
School Street resident Dick McDowell told council that, considering all effort and money that's been put into the area through the Elm Street program, putting a fire station in that neighborhood doesn't make sense.
"We've put millions of dollars to beautify and improve that neighborhood … You put a fire department in there, all it's going to do is tear it down," McDowell said. "It doesn't make any sense to put that in a residential neighborhood."
Bradford City Police Officer Steve Caskey also voiced his opposition.
"As a police officer in the city for almost 20 years, I understand how much the sirens run and how much noise is created," he said. "I just don't want that with my kids in the neighborhood."
Only one resident, Helen Burfield, spoke in favor putting the fire station at that location.
"Right now, this is the only piece of property the city owns that we could put a building on.," Coder said. "The city has no money to purchase a piece of property."
Coder and School Street resident Ruth McDowell argued about whether a new station is even necessary.
"If this city's going to go anywhere," Coder said, "If there are grants out there just for buildng new fire stations -- Free money. Here. Take it. Build your station. – You say we shouldn't take that?"
"Yes, I do say that," McDowell said.
"That's backward thinking that got us in the situation we're in today," Coder said.
"No," McDowell said. "That's logical thinking."
Coder said renovating the current fire station is not an option.
"That station is 106 years old. It was built for horses. It wasn't built for fire trucks," he said. "We've renovated to the point where we can't go any farther. Now when we buy a fire truck or a piece of fire equipment, we have to buy a vehicle that fits in the building – not a piece of a equipment we need, but one that we can get in the building."
Coder said they only have 17 days to finish the grant application and a property has to be named in the application.
But, he told the residents, "If they donate this property to us, we're outta your hair."
WESB/WBRR News Director
Residents of Pleasant and School streets and Jackson Avenue packed city council chambers Tuesday night to say putting a new fire station at the head of Mechanic Street is a bad idea, and it's not welcome there.
But if all goes well – assuming the city gets the federal grant in the first place – the building wouldn't go there anyway.
Councilman Ross Neidich, who oversees the fire department said, "We have a good lead, I think, on something that would make everybody happy including us. Let's just hope that comes to fruition."
After the meeting, Neidich and Fire Chief Boo Coder said because they are still in negotiations with the property owners they didn't want to publicly talk about the site.
During the meeting, Jackson Avenue resident Dave Lamborn said one of the reasons he's against having a fire station at the former Third Ward School site is that it would take away the possibility of the property ever getting back on the tax rolls.
You keeping losing money, he told council, "and now you people have got your rear end up against the wall with a $500,000 deficit and you don't know where to come up with it. Putting a fire station there is a bad idea."
School Street resident Dick McDowell told council that, considering all effort and money that's been put into the area through the Elm Street program, putting a fire station in that neighborhood doesn't make sense."We've put millions of dollars to beautify and improve that neighborhood … You put a fire department in there, all it's going to do is tear it down," McDowell said. "It doesn't make any sense to put that in a residential neighborhood."
Bradford City Police Officer Steve Caskey also voiced his opposition.
"As a police officer in the city for almost 20 years, I understand how much the sirens run and how much noise is created," he said. "I just don't want that with my kids in the neighborhood."
Only one resident, Helen Burfield, spoke in favor putting the fire station at that location.
"Right now, this is the only piece of property the city owns that we could put a building on.," Coder said. "The city has no money to purchase a piece of property."
Coder and School Street resident Ruth McDowell argued about whether a new station is even necessary.
"If this city's going to go anywhere," Coder said, "If there are grants out there just for buildng new fire stations -- Free money. Here. Take it. Build your station. – You say we shouldn't take that?"
"Yes, I do say that," McDowell said.
"That's backward thinking that got us in the situation we're in today," Coder said.
"No," McDowell said. "That's logical thinking."
Coder said renovating the current fire station is not an option.
"That station is 106 years old. It was built for horses. It wasn't built for fire trucks," he said. "We've renovated to the point where we can't go any farther. Now when we buy a fire truck or a piece of fire equipment, we have to buy a vehicle that fits in the building – not a piece of a equipment we need, but one that we can get in the building."
Coder said they only have 17 days to finish the grant application and a property has to be named in the application.
But, he told the residents, "If they donate this property to us, we're outta your hair."
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