Several members of the Plymouth City Council have taken up Plymouth Fire Chief Steve Holm on his offer to tour the firehouse, and the result was a discussion at the Council’s regular meeting on Monday.
One of the latest tour takers, Councilman Randy Longanecker, brought up some issues that he observed during his trip. The Council has been aware of structural issues with the firehouse and the need for repair and even construction of a new facility to house the department.
The main issue with the facility is the need for a new roof. Longanecker said that there were buckets placed at various spots in the facility and felt that they presented a liability issue for the city.
The Council brought Holm forward for the discussion, and he informed the Council that he had sought quotes for repair of the roof and the estimate was that it would take around $300,000 to fix the issues.
Longanecker, who has a background as a Project Manager at Michiana Contracting, pointed to other structural issues he had observed in the building while touring it that could lead the building to be considered unsafe.
It was thought that even repairing the current issues might only delay the need for a new building by 10-12 years.
Holm told the board that changes in technology and equipment for firefighters over the decades have left a lack of space within the current building, along with it being poorly configured for modern equipment.
Mayor Robert Listenberger pointed out that the consideration of what to do for the fire department is a major consideration for the Council on whether to repair or construct a new facility; either way, it is a significant project monetarily. He added that similar structural issues exist at the Police Department building, and both would have to be looked at by the city in the not-too-distant future.
Listenberger asked the Council to think on the issue for consideration in the future as he would need their guidance on how to proceed.
