City makes case for proposed fire station

by Dan Holland

Jan. 9 informational meeting

Broadview Heights Mayor Sam Alai and Fire Chief Jeff Hajek hosted an informational meeting at Broadview Heights City Hall Jan. 9 to present their vision for a new fire station to be built on the city campus. 

The project, which would require city council approval, would be funded through grant money and the city’s general fund.

Voters rejected Issue 4, a charter amendment, in May 2022 that would have raised the fire and emergency medical services levy in the city from 4.2 mills to a rate not to exceed 5.8 mills to build a proposed 24,350-square-foot, $11.5 million station and headquarters.

Plans at the time called for a six-bay, double-depth station that would include an equipment bay, administrative offices, a community/training room, mezzanine, training/hose tower, 10 bunk rooms and support rooms. A spatial needs study to determine the scope and size of the station, was conducted by the Center for Public Safety in 2021.

The city authorized an agreement in November 2021 to have Van Auken Akins Architects LLC of Cleveland provide architectural services for the project. Infinity Construction Company of Cleveland was selected in Feb. 2022 to provide pre-construction services.

In the event a new station is built, Station No. 1, located at 3591 E. Wallings Rd., which currently serves as the department headquarters, would remain open, while Station No. 2, at 9455 Broadview Rd., would be closed.

The initial ballot issue to approve funding for a new fire station failed at the polls in 2002.

“Back in 2002, we went to the public to get a new fire station, which was roughly about the same size as the station now proposed,” explained Hajek. “The cost of that station at that time was $3.7 million, and it was voted down by the citizens.”

Hajek began bringing attention to the need for a new fire station shortly after he was appointed chief in 2009.

“Our stations are now 62 and 52 years old. They are the oldest stations in the county other than East Cleveland and Parma Heights,” said Hajek. “They were designed for what was needed back then; that’s why we came to the community and identified this as an ongoing need. So we will go back to council at this time to ask them to proceed with this project, as it is still a need, not a want.”

Alai said the economic climate was not favorable for proposing a new station at the time Hajek was appointed chief. He noted, however, that the city’s general fund currently stands at around $18.6 million. 

Under the proposal, approximately half of the fund, in addition to $2.5 million received between federal grant money and other sources that sits in the city’s fire department fund, would be used to construct a new station estimated to cost in the range of $14 million.

“If we don’t do something now to build a $15 million station – which is where it sits at today – it was $10 million in 2019, $12 million during COVID; post Covid, it’s now $15 million,” said Alai. “If we wait and let the next person who becomes mayor takes this process over again in 2028, the city will be looking at a cost of $20 million, and we shouldn’t let that happen.”

Alai and Hajek said a number of features for the proposed station, including a reduction in the number of bays and sleeping quarters, along with removal of a training/community room and training/hose tower, could be cut from the plans, if necessary, to bring down the price tag. Both agreed, however, that it would be beneficial to the department and community to leave those features intact.

The issue will not go back before the voters, Alai added.

“We can take half of that money – about $9.5 million – out of the general fund, and build this fire station cash, with no additional taxes to the people, and still have around $9.4 million in our general fund after we build this,” said Alai. 

Alai noted that the city’s general fund sat at approximately $1.2 million when he first became mayor in 2008.

“Taking this money does not cut anyone else’s budget,” Hajek said. “It’s money that came in because of Covid. Everything we do, for the record, is paid for by tax money. Could we use that money for roads and other things? Yes, we can, but in 62 years, this city has not spent any money on its fire stations, and it’s time to put money into a fire station that will last this city for another 40- to-50 years.”Additional informational meetings are planned. For dates and times, visit broadview-heights.org.