Delaware Water Gap plans first renovations to decades-old firehouse

Max Augugliaro, Pocono Record
·3 min read

Delaware Water Gap Borough Council has received engineering bids for the first renovations to the borough's firehouse after decades of service.

“The building’s never been renovated, it was built in 1969,” Delaware Water Gap Fire Chief and council member Howard Ike said during public comment at council's Feb. 5 meeting.

Ike also detailed the upgrades that are hoped to be accomplished with this renovation, including electrical work, the implementation of a commercial kitchen, installation of handicap-accessible bathrooms and a ramp, and an updated heating system.

“Most of the work that’s been done there has been done by our members of the fire department on our own time and with the money of the fire department,” Ike said.

The borough is working with two Local Share Account (LSA) grants totaling $350,000, one for $150,000 and the other for $200,000.

Delaware Water Gap firehouse renovations were discussed at the borough council's Feb. 5, 2024, meeting. Three bids were opened, but action was not taken in the borough solicitor's absence.
Delaware Water Gap firehouse renovations were discussed at the borough council's Feb. 5, 2024, meeting. Three bids were opened, but action was not taken in the borough solicitor's absence.

“And as our fire chief stated, this will hopefully bring everything up to ADA compliance with the expectation that this facility could be used as a heating or cooling center for residents in instances of emergencies,” Council President Lisa Paulette said during public comment.

“The engineering cost for this, is that going to be covered under the LSA grant?” attendee Tim Snow asked Borough Engineer Melissa Hutchison, who said a percentage of it is.

Around 15% of engineering fees would be covered by the LSA grant; when Snow asked where the rest of the fee was coming from, the council made it known that they would have to figure it out.

Snow was curious if the remainder of the project was coming from the Capital Reserve Account, which he recalled was for emergencies. Paulette stressed that council still needs to see how much the engineering portion of work will cost, how much of it the LSA grant will cover it, and where the rest of the funds to cover it will come from before they take any next steps.

“We’re not authorizing any work until we’re sure of what it is and what the cost is, and where the funds are coming from,” said Paulette. “So that’s our role, is to manage it, we will manage it.”

“So, you got the LSA grant, but it sounds like there's not necessarily a scope that they use,” said attendee Marty Bartholomew. Ike said that there was.

“LSA does not approve any grant without having the full scope of the work, and they will tell you what percentages they will pay for each portion of the work,” said Paulette. “So, once we determine what the engineering cost will be, and what the LSA will charge, we’ll allot for that, and what the remainder will be, all those questions have to be inline before we go forward and authorize anything to be done.”

Snow asked how it was determined how much to ask for in the LSA grants. Paulette said that council sponsored it, and did not write it.

“I get that, but it just seems to me that we’re putting the cart in front of the horse here,” said Snow.

Paulette said that the LSA grant request was based on another company reviewing the scope of the work in a general estimate and that contractors still need to approach them with prices for their service. She said the borough is starting to address stage one of the project, engineering, by opening the bids.

“So, we’re not there yet," said Paulette. "But as far as the borough is concerned, we will manage it in the proper business-like manner as we would something that we requested ourselves, because it is disseminated to the borough.”

Later in the meeting, Paulette opened the three bids received, which were from SGS Architect Engineers in Carlisle, Buchart Horn Engineers headquartered in York and W2A Architects in Allentown.

SGS only submitted hourly rates; Buchart Horn listed a price of $117,800; and W2A listed a professional design fee of $58,000.

The subject was unanimously tabled for another meeting. Recently appointed Wayne McWilliams made the motion and William Buzzard seconded.

Max Augugliaro is the public safety and government watchdog reporter at the Pocono Record. Reach him at MAugugliaro@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Delaware Water Gap receives engineering bids for firehouse renovations