The city of Madison (WI) is considering leasing a fire station from the town of Madison (WI) while the city renovates and expands its own fire station, according to a report published by the Wisconsin State Journal.

The newspaper reported the lease would be rent free for two years in exchange for a promise the city would guarantee five town employees would be hired by the city in comparable positions when the city absorbs most of the town on Oct. 31, 2022.

Since Nov. 1, 2020, the city of Madison has been providing fire and emergency services to the town while waiting for the merger to happen.

Meanwhile, the city of Madison will remodel and expand its station, increasing the building size from 10,850 square feet to 13,250 square feet and make other improvements to the tune of $3.96 million.

The Exeter (NH) Select Board recently approved a contract with architecture firm Lavallee Brensinger Architects to complete an analysis on potentially building a new public safety complex for the fire and police departments, reports seacoastonline.com.

The deal comes after voters approved in March spending up to $100,000 for the study. Town officials say the analysis will look at three different alternatives for the complex.

According to the report, they are:

1. Expanding and renovating the existing complex;
2. Renovating the existing complex for either police or fire on their own and relocating the other department to a two-acre parcel at 24 Continental Dr.;
3. Building a new combined public safety complex on a 17-acre site on Holland Way. Option, officials say, may require a smaller fire substation on the western end of town and using the aforementioned two-acre parcel on Continental Drive for the substation.

The current public safety complex was constructed in 1979 and hasn’t seen any major renovations, the report says.

The Merrimac (MA) fire chief says he has found a deal where he can get a pumper and an aerial for $149,000 more than the cost of the aerial alone and he’s looking for voter approval to make the purchase, according to a report published by the Newburyport Daily News.

The newspaper reported that Merrimac voters approved the purchase of one combined aerial and pumper for $1.2 million at town meeting this past spring and the fire chief found a deal that he said will save the taxpayers about $700,000.

For an additional $149,000, the chief claims that he can buy two trucks, a pumper and an aerial, as a package deal and he needs the voters to approve the additional money to save more, the newspaper reported.

The funds are already in a stabilization fund, so no additional money would have to be raised, but the voters do need approve the additional expense, the newspaper reported.

The fire chief said Merrimac will be able to replace two vehicles for about the price of one, the paper said, noting the special town meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 18 to gain voter approval for the proposal.

In the coming weeks, Bradley (IL) is set to begin construction for what will be the village’s second fire station, reports Daily Journal.

The project comprises a 3,500-square-foot addition to the property at 1690 Newtowne Rd., and the existing 4,200-square-foot former chamber building will be undergoing extensive renovations, the report says.

The village board approved a resolution awarding a $195,651 contract to Hamann Wagner Excavating of Chebanse and $52,214 to Kevin Nugent Construction, Inc., of Bourbonnais, for the foundation, the report says. The excavating and foundation work is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

Jameson Sheet Metal, Inc., of Plainfield, was expected to receive a $177,500 contract for the project’s heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system, but officials say that the bid needs tweaking.

The project was set to begin this summer, but, as Fire Apparatus reported in July, rising costs caused delayed. Officials expect everything to be completed by late 2022.