Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rosston Fire Building May Be More Expensive Than Planned

It looks like the City of Rosston will be paying more for a new fire station than first thought.

This is because the Rosston City Council agreed to take bids on the structure instead of allowing the members of the Rosston Volunteer Fire Department to do the job after they had volunteered.

Rosston Mayor Lewis Jackson told the council, at its regular monthly meeting Thursday, Aug. 3, the city has the deed for the land where the station will be built.

In July, Johnny Jenson, Rosston fire chief, said the firemen would help build the new facility. However, board member Edna Kelly wouldn't hear of this at the August meeting, insisting the job be bid out.

Jenson, at the July meeting, said the job could be done for about $16,000 with volunteer labor, though someone would have to be paid to pour the concrete slab.

Kelly, though, said the city needs a turnkey job on the project, adding bids should be taken to see what it would actually costs to do the work.

"If we're going to the trouble of building one (fire station) we need a nice one and need experienced people to do it," she said.

Sally Drake, also a member of the board, said as it was a metal building the volunteers should be able to do the project.

Kelly, though, wouldn't hear of it, saying letting bids is the only fair way to get the job done. She added the volunteer firefighters don't have the time to work on it.

Then came the question as to whether the bid package should include the meeting room. At first Kelly fought against having it, saying it could be added later, but was overridden by the rest of the council.

Her reasoning was the city still has the existing City Hall building and will have the current fire department it could use for meetings.

However, it was pointed out if the water department purchases the buildings, the fire station will house street equipment, while the City Hall building will be used as a community center.

The majority opinion was it's better to do it all at once than try to add onto a metal building in the future. It is also less expensive to do it now than it will be at a later date.

Jackson said the building specs must include two large doors in the front and one in the back, but doesn't want roll-up type doors, preferring rails instead.

Kelly said any money needed to build the fire station could be taken from the street department's budget.

"If we're gonna do it," she said, "we need to do it. We don't need a dozen hands of people not knowing what they're doing. It's got to be bid out anyway."

The ads for the project will be run for two weeks, and include the electrical, heating and air conditioning and plumbing. The bid date will close Sept. 7.

Jenson said the city is looking to spend $40,000 or $50,000 building like this.

"If you're afraid it won't be built right," he told the council, "then hire a contractor. It'll be a big headache off my shoulders."

Jackson pointed out the new fire station needs to be done before winter arrives so the new fire truck can be housed in it. Currently, the new truck is kept locked in a fenced area at Nevada Schools.

A hard freeze could damage equipment on it the city would then have to replace.

In other business, City Secretary Brenda Drake tendered her resignation, saying she's accepted a job in Minnesota.

She promised to say on in her current duties until a replacement could be found and trained.

Whoever is hired as her replacement will be learning on the city's new computer system.

Jackson said the new system has been ordered and should be in any time.