A divided council voted this week to approve a $9.8 million construction contract for a new fire station at 65th Street in Ocean City (MD), mdcoastdispatch.com reported.
In a work session Tuesday, the council voted 4-3, with Councilmen Matt James, Peter Buas and John Gehrig opposed, to approve a contract with Delmarva Veteran Builders totaling $9,821,637 for the construction of Station 3, the report said.
While officials agreed something needed to be done to improve living and working conditions, those in opposition questioned the need for a new facility and the impacts it would have on the town’s budget, according to the report.
Last November, the mayor and council approved moving forward with the construction of a new fire station at a total cost of $10.5 million, with $10 million dedicated to construction and contingencies and nearly $500,000 dedicated to design, the report said. The new, 23,500-square-foot facility will be relocated from its current location at 74th Street to the parking lot of the town’s public safety building on 65th Street, the report said.
In a presentation this week, a fire department official said the current facility at 74th Street has fallen into disrepair and no longer meets the needs of the department. He said the building lacked space, parking and adequate bedrooms and bathrooms, among other things, according to the report.