City officials, while guarded about publicly discussing details
of confidential negotiations over obtaining land for Fire Station
II, have recently expressed an air of optimism the project will
break ground by the end of the year.
Many officials have affirmed their beliefs the city will obtain
the land at 1200 Union Road after City Council approval of two
items on this week’s meeting agenda.
City officials, while guarded about publicly discussing details of confidential negotiations over obtaining land for Fire Station II, have recently expressed an air of optimism the project will break ground by the end of the year.
Many officials have affirmed their beliefs the city will obtain the land at 1200 Union Road after City Council approval of two items on this week’s meeting agenda.
“We’re right up there and ready to go,” said Councilman Tony LoBue. “It’s just a matter of how long.”
City Council adopted resolutions to solicit construction bids and also to approve further architectural work. The bidding period lasts for 60 days, followed by a 48-day window for the city to decide whether to award a contract.
The entire project is estimated to cost about $4 million, of which about $1 million has already been spent. Construction, which officials said will not begin until the land title is obtained, should last about a year.
“We’re absolutely confident that it’s moving forward,” said Fire Chief Bill Garringer. “There are ongoing negotiations that have turned out really positive. I think the city will acquire the property and break ground after the first of the year.”
Garringer has not been directly involved in the summer talks with lawyers representing the landowner, Richard Hall II. City Attorney Elaine Cass and City Manager Dale Shaddox, however, have regularly updated Garringer on any progress.
City officials, cognizant of much-needed additional fire services in town, have talked about pursuing the second station for years, and more seriously since Garringer arrived three years ago.
The location on the south side of Hollister was chosen to lower overall response times throughout the city. Furthermore, the station would accommodate nine additional firefighters, six of whom have already been hired and are currently manning the downtown facility.
“If you look at our fire rating,” LoBue said, “at no fault of the fire department itself, with the actual locations and travel times, we have very poor fire ratings.”
The city approached Hall about a year ago about buying his land, which is mostly vacant. Hollister has used an eminent domain process for the acquisition, which means it can condemn the property and pay a fair market price.
The value issue, however, is where the two sides have widely disagreed. Hollister initially appraised the land at $730,000 and has already deposited that amount in the state Compensation Fund, Cass said.
Hall did not return phone calls Tuesday. But he has said the city’s initial figure was largely unfair.
Hollister recently conducted a second appraisal of the four-acre property, Cass said, from which the estimated value increased from $730,000 – but not substantially. She did not specify a dollar value.
Hall’s group commissioned a land value assessment of their own, which has not been completed, according to Cass. Though she said Hall’s appraisal should be done within the next few weeks.
“I’m optimistic that the land purchase can be completed in the near term,” Shaddox said. “That’s the basis for wanting to go and advertise for bids for the project.”
Hall has filed a lawsuit with the San Benito County Superior Court. If the two sides do not reach an agreeable price, they will go to court Dec. 15.
Meanwhile, the city holds an “order of possession” on the land – officials have maintained Jan. 1 as the target date to break ground and early 2005 as a possible opening date.
“Then we’re faced with the serious decision of whether we have the financial ability to staff it,” Shaddox said. “And staffing costs $880,000 per year out of the General Fund. That’ll be the big decision point for the Council.”
The city has also started talks about the possibility for a new fire station downtown to replace the current facility. The building, constructed in the 1930s as a tractor repair shop, contains flawed structural features, heating, plumbing and no air-conditioning, according to Garringer.
“The city needs to build a first-class downtown station.”
