Bowmanstown Fire Department has received the go-ahead to reapply for grants in its quest to build a new fire station.

On a 3-1 vote, borough council at a special workshop on Tuesday agreed to have the fire department move forward with its grant writing, with the borough included.

Councilman Darren Thomas, along with councilwomen Pam Leiby and Kara Scott were in favor. Councilman Rob Moyer was opposed.

Project Engineer Eric Snyder, who is assisting in the grant application writing, was on hand due to filing application deadlines.

Snyder told council it would behoove both entities if they would do a joint project.

Borough fire Chief Michael Spairana Jr. said the fire department wanted to see if the borough would go into partnership with the proposal.

“There is no way I’m going to put my name to this plan if we have to spend any money,” Spairana Jr. said. “If we can’t grant this out, in my opinion, it’s not happening.”

Borough hall

Thomas said he believes it would be to both the borough and the fire department’s benefit.

Mayor Zach Snyder said he believes that a new facility makes sense.

Resident Kerry Solt told council he would hate to see the current borough hall building be turned into apartments, as it’s a landmark.

Scott said she was concerned about the playgrounds and basketball courts, as “they’re used all the time.”

“I worry about selling this building, or what it will become,” Scott said. “To me, this building is almost iconic.”

Zach Snyder said he understood the concerns.

“It’s small-town America; it’s a reasonable concern,” Snyder said. “I’m concerned 15 to 20 years from now how (much) of a money pit this becomes.”

Scott said that while she wants to see the fire department get the grant money for a new fire station, she worries what may become of the borough hall building.

However, Zach Snyder suggested that even if the borough would no longer use the building as borough hall, that doesn’t mean the borough has to sell it.

Moyer noted many aspects the borough hall building is lacking because it’s an older building.

Eric Snyder said the goal is to get two separate grants; an LSA grant for 50%, and a RAC-P grant for 50%.

Planning

Firefighter Kristy Spairana told council she’s noticed through her experience that people do not plan for the future as they should.

“I think you really need to be open,” Spairana said. “You really got to be open to it, and have to really plan for it.”

Spairana Jr. impressed upon council that the fire department needed to know as soon as possible, as it has to write the grants and ask for support letters by September.

Before the vote, Moyer said he believed that council should hold off on its decision until next week’s meeting, as it was missing three members.

However, Thomas said the matter has been kicked around since last year, and felt now was the time to make the decision, rather than wait until next week’s meeting.

Council noted that the borough can be involved, but that doesn’t mean it has to move into the new fire station.

“We don’t have to commit to move the borough or anything,” Scott said.

Council’s decision comes after it was announced at last month’s council meeting that the LSA Program did not fund the request for fire station improvements.

Scott said at that time the fire department was looking for borough involvement to participate and move their office to a new facility, and that they were reapplying.

Spairana Jr. said at that time they were talking to their fire committee about the possibility of the borough and the fire company going into the same building.

Spairana Jr. said in May that the only grant the fire department has applied for so far to help fund the project is the Monroe County LSA grant.

In April, council authorized submittal of a redevelopment assistance capital budget program grant for the fire company.

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.

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.

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

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