Williamstown Fire District Inks Deal on Land
 Prudential Committee Chairman John Notsley signs a purchase and sales agreement on the Lehovic property on Main Street. |
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The committee that governs the town's fire district Thursday evening approved a purchase and sales agreement to acquire a 3.7-acre parcel on Main Street.
Prudential Committee Chairman John Notsley signed a long-delayed agreement between the district and the estate of Kurt Lehovic to purchase the land east of the former Agway for $575,000 with the intention of building a new fire station to replace the aging, cramped Water Street facility.
"We've reviewed the purchase and sales agreement from the Lehovic estate, and the board has agreed to the terms of it," Notsley said after the three-members of the committee and Clerk/Treasurer Paul Dube met briefly in executive session. "There is a $575,000 purchase price, which we feel is in the best interest of the fire district."
The agreement signed Thursday includes two contingencies, Notsley explained.
First, the land must undergo an environmental assessment under the commonwealth's Oil and Hazardous Material Release, Prevention and Response Act (Chapter 21E). Next, the land will be assessed by an engineer to ensure there is enough buildable land outside the 100-year flood plain to accommodate a new fire station.
"The catch is, we can't get on the property to do the studies until these are signed," Dube said, indicating the P&S agreement.
If either of the studies find that the land will not be usable by the district, it will have the option to back out of the contract. Otherwise, the agreement calls for a closing date no later than Oct. 21, 2013, Notsley said.
"We anticipate the 21E (review) in a month's time or less," he said. "The topographical, I'm not sure."
Committee member Edward Briggs said the district had Williamstown's Guntlow & Associates lined up to do a topographical review two months ago but had to hold off when the sales agreement was delayed. He said he would call the engineering firm on Friday to arrange a new date.
In answer to a question from town Finance Committee Chairman Charles Fox, Notsley said that after the two reviews are completed, the Prudential Committee would call a special meeting of the Fire District to approve the purchase.
The Williamstown Fire District operates as a separate governmental entitity with its own powers of taxation. The district is governed on a day-to-day basis by the Prudential Committee, just as the town is governed on a day-to-day basis by the Board of Selectmen.
Like the town, the district holds an annual town meeting open to every registered voter in its jurisdiction. A special fire district meeting can be called at the discretion of the Prudential Committee, just like the Selectmen can call a special town meeting.
In the past, Fox has raised concerns about the potential of Williamstown's taxpayers facing three new building projects: a fire station, a police station and a new Mount Greylock Regional High School.
On Thursday night, Fox said he hoped the Prudential Committee would engage the town (which does govern the Police Department) about the possibility of building some sort of shared emergency services building.
Notsley has agreed to serve with several town officials on a Public Safety Building Committee.
In other business on Thursday night, Williamstown Fire Chief Craig Pedercini reported that his department joined with Williamstown Police, Village Ambulance, the Berkshire County sheriff's department, the state police and Williams College Campus Safety and Security to set up an incident command center during the college's commencement earlier this month.
Fortunately, the day passed without incident, but Pedercini said the heightened emphasis on security was partially in response to April's bombing at the Boston Marathon.
"It's sad we have to think about this, but this may be our future — every year having to plan for this and any other large events as we see fit," he said.
Pedercini reported that the Fire District's plan to install a dry hydrant on the Blair Road bridge were put on hold because of the height of the river. Originally, firefighters had planned to do the installation on Saturday, but now they are targeting June 22.
Pedercini also entertained the audience during the executive session portion of the meeting by doing a condensed version of the lecture, "Significant Fires of Williamstown, Mass.," which he presented for the Williamstown Historical Museum earlier this year.
Tags: fire district, fire station, purchase & sales ,
