It's taken the better part of a decade, but the City of Cullman has approved a bid for a new fire station on the north side of the city. The city has approved a $5.2 million bid from Cullman-based Eidson and Associates to build the station, though city officials are working with the contractor to "value engineer" that price down.
The city council had budgeted a little over $4 million for the project, and bids came back higher than expected.
The project is set to move forward soon, as the City of Cullman has already purchased land to build on. In January, the city agreed to purchase 3.97 acres from Merchant's Bank, at a cost of $325,000. The property is located on Alabama Highway 157, beside the Merchant's Bank branch at 4855 Alabama Highway 157, just east of Piggly Wiggly. Officials have been eyeing the highway corridor due to its easy access and close proximity to the new retail and industrial growth on the north side of the city.
Earlier this year, the city set aside $163,000 to finalize a design for the station, and engineers worked with Cullman Fire Rescue to ensure the final plans fit the needs of the growing department. The new station will feature additional bays for vehicles, and officials believe the location is an optimum base to serve the economic and construction growth on the north side of the city.
The award of a new $1.1 million grant set to fund a dozen new fire fighters served as a major catalyst to get the project off the ground. The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant will be used to hire a total of 12 new firefighters, and the grant will fund those new hires for two years.
Cullman Mayor Max Townson said the project is a long time coming, and though construction is in north Cullman, noted it will improve response time across the city.