Permanent Building Committee trims fire station design request to $1.53 million

WESTON — November 18, 2023 — Weston fire station study returns to Town Meeting with a reduced $1.53 million ask. Permanent Building Committee Chair Jim Polando told a community outreach session the working group cut the request from the $4.5 million printed in the warrant book after Select Board and Finance Committee pushback, saying the team "needed to regroup, retrench, and make sure that we're providing a right-sized solution." The funding covers roughly $1.08 million in design services, $222,000 in owner's project management, and $100,000 for environmental work, plus geothermal test wells. Programming calls for 41,000 square feet across both stations, up from 26,000, with apparatus bays growing from 8,000 to 14,400 square feet. Select Board member Chris Houston is stepping off the working group in favor of Tom Palmer, and the Finance Committee will name its first representative. Fire Chief Woodside said the plan reflects a 25- to 50-year horizon, including projected 40B and senior housing development.