Orleans Voters OK Fire Station Construction

ORLEANS – There’s little argument that Orleans needs a new fire station. But at an estimated cost of $55 million, many in attendance at Monday’s annual town meeting wondered if they could afford it.

Voters bared down on the proposed cost of the proposed 39,000-square-foot station planned for Eldredge Park Way. But when the clickers came out, they supported funding the construction of the new facility, 365-154.

“The need is there, and the need is not going away,” Orleans Fire Chief Geof Deering said at the conclusion of Monday’s spring session. “And I think people realized that.”

The new station will be funded through a debt exclusion. Voters will again need to approve the spending on the ballot at the May 19 annual town election.

Deering said the fire department first began discussions about the need for a new fire station in 2018. The existing station, which opened its doors in 1987, was originally built for 15 staffers but is too small to accommodate the 33 people on staff with the department today.

A lack of separation between the apparatus bay and the station’s living quarters and offices also poses significant health risks to fire personnel. A presentation Monday showed the department’s workout area in close proximity to fire vehicles, while the station also lacks space to properly stow away turnout gear used during emergency responses. Past studies of the building’s condition also show air quality issues in the building, while Deering noted that infrastructure issues and rodent problems persist.

Last May, voters at the annual town meeting approved spending $4.5 million to design and engineer a new station. The design, prepared by Ted Galante of Galante Architecture Studio in Cambridge, calls for a gabled roof on the left side of the station covering the living quarters and offices and a flat roofline over the right side of the building comprising the apparatus bay. At the rear of the building will be a tall, vertical training tower.

Both the gabled and flat roofs will be outfitted with solar panels, while an additional 3,800-square-foot solar array will also be situated in the back of the station. The goal is to operate the station as a “net zero” facility, where all of the energy used to power the station is generated on the property. The new building would also have clean separation between “hot zones,” or contaminated areas, and “cold zones,” non-contaminated living and office spaces.

But the projected cost of the new facility was a source of concern for many voters Monday night. Last week, the select board voted to reduce the amount sought for the station’s construction from $60 million to $55 million. But with many people struggling to keep up with the rising cost of housing, food and other needs, some worried about carrying the additional cost on their tax bills.

“It’s got to stop,” said Orleans resident Megan Kelly. She said while she supports the fire department and recognizes the need for a new station, she questioned if residents are in a good financial position to support the project now. 

Town Manager Kim Newman said that taxpayers will see an average annual tax impact of $450 to $480 until the project bond is paid off, starting in fiscal 2031.

John Cooper, a member of the town’s finance committee, was one of three members who abstained from voting on the committee’s recommendation on the project. He was critical of what he called a “rushed process” in bringing the design forward, noting that the select board only just voted to recommend the proposed design at its May 6 meeting.

Alice Thomason also abstained from giving her recommendation on the project, and asked for more clarity and detail on the project design.

“For myself, I felt uncomfortable that we made a recommendation to move forward,” she said.

Ben Zehnder of Orleans pressed the town for harder numbers around the project cost. He suggested that the town come back to voters at the fall special town meeting with a firmer number for voters to consider.

Others put the project cost aside and took issue with the proposed station design.

“No offense to the architect, but that is one ugly building,” said resident Bob Wilkinson, who said he believed the town could “do better.”

But proponents argued that waiting on approving the construction funding will ultimately increase the cost. Select Board Chair Kevin Galligan said without an approval on construction, the town cannot qualify for grants that could help bring the overall cost of the project down. Susan Chandler, meanwhile, called any further delay on the project “unacceptable.”

“Any further delay will only cost the town more,” she said.

Lynn Bruneau, former longtime member of the finance committee, expressed confidence that the town could take on the projected $55 million cost, pointing to the town’s triple-A bond rating. She also noted that the project could come in at a lower cost than anticipated when it is ultimately put out to bid.

After town meeting, Newman said that if voters approve the construction spending at the election, Galante will work out a final project cost that will come in within the authorized $55 million. She said it’s also possible that the town could revert to an alternate design with a consistent flat roof, which is estimated to cost $52 million.

“And they’ll have months to do it, which is exciting,” she said.

Voters also approved spending $600,000 in free cash to purchase a portion of the property at 48 Eldredge Park Way. The .48 acres will be used to create easier access to the new fire station and eliminate any interference with the neighboring Orleans Elementary School. Town officials say that the acquisition will not impact operations at Lower Cape Dental Associates,  from whom the town is buying the land.

Voters approved spending $2.5 million to begin the surveying and preliminary design for the fourth phase of town sewering in Meetinghouse Pond. Some concerns were again raised about the proposed cost, but proponents argued that the work is needed to satisfy its obligation to the state to reduce nitrogen loading in Pleasant Bay.

“This town is nothing, nothing, without clean water,” said Finance Committee Chair Elaine Baird. 

The $50.4 million operating budget for fiscal 2027 also passed with voters, with an interesting amendment. Orleans Resident Tim Counihan successfully made a motion to transfer $26,000 in the budget out of the select board programs and initiatives line item and into the assessing department’s budget for staffing, software and postage costs needed to allow the town to carry out a residential tax exemption for the town’s year-round property owners. 

Counihan, one of the town’s most vocal proponents of the exemption, said that he was advised by Galligan and Assistant Town Manager Mark Reil that amending the budget was the best way of going about securing the funding. He noted that the exemption would only go into effect if and when the select board votes to adopt it.

Two citizen petition articles failed to advance Monday night. Counihan’s petition directing the town manager to develop a long-range capital plan for the town was determined to be “out of order” by Town Moderator John Kanaga. 

While Counihan argued that the article was “nonbinding,” Town Counsel Karris North said that town meeting does not have the authority to direct the town manager under the town charter. One speaker asked North to cite the case law or precedent behind her recommendation, but Kanaga had already deemed the article out of order.

Another petitioner, Susan Milton, withdrew her article seeking that the position of assistant council on aging director be created and filled. That position is itemized in the new operating budget.

A new local comprehensive plan was approved by voters Monday, the first full update of the plan in 20 years. The newly approved plan outlines a vision for the town’s growth through the year 2050.

Voters also approved $175,000 in support of the purchase of a 3.8-acre parcel at 32 Locust Rd. “for the purpose of passive recreation and protecting land, freshwater shoreline, and wildlife habitat of Cedar Pond.” Voters also approved $2,018,426.25 in Community Preservation Act spending Monday night.