Bowmanstown Volunteer Fire Company can apply for a Local Share Assessment grant to build a new fire station.

On a 5-0 vote, borough council on Tuesday granted the fire company approval to move forward and apply for an LSA fund grant. Councilwomen Pam Leiby was absent.

Before the vote, council President William Ravert said his concern is that the borough also relies on LSA funding for its road projects.

“The borough itself depends on LSA grants for their infrastructure,” Ravert said. “I think we have to take that into consideration.”

But Councilman Rob Moyer told Ravert that based on information that was shared at a special public workshop meeting held last month.

“The expectation is that if they would be fortunate enough to get it, that would only be one piece of the puzzle,” Moyer said.

Project engineer Eric Snyder, who is assisting in the grant application writing, attended last month’s special public workshop meeting due to filing application deadlines for an LSA fund grant.

Last month, the fire company requested council’s approval to apply for an LSA grant to build a new fire station with the possibility of an attached social hall.

The proposed plan would be for the new station to be located above the picnic grove on Lime Street.

The existing fire station would be torn down and made into a parking lot.

Keystone Construction would be completing the work, led by Snyder.

The estimated cost of the project is between $1.5 million and $1.6 million, and wouldn’t reach completion for about three to five years.

Snyder told council the plan is to build one large fire station, and to apply for an LSA grant to fund the entire project.

In the event they don’t get the first round of LSA funding, Snyder said the plan would be to apply for a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant.

Borough fire Chief Michael Spairana previously said the fire company doesn’t have enough storage room.

Mayor Zach Snyder said at the time his concern is that the borough also relies on LSA funding for its road projects.

Spairana reiterated that the fire company would not go forward with a new fire station unless it receives 100% funding.