The $7 million renovations to Dartmouth Fire District 1’s station are on hold unless voters approve $2.5 million in additional funds, according to District 1 Fire Prudential Committee Chair John Haran.

Haran attributes the additional cost for the project to inflation and said the district will request the funds at its Special District Meeting Friday, Sept. 27, which will take place at the station, located at 10 Bridge Street, and will begin at 6:30 p.m. This is the only item on the agenda.

According to Haran, if the additional funds are approved, the money would be borrowed, and this would raise resident fire tax from $0.36 to $0.50, which he says is still “far cheaper than the other two districts.”

Of the original $7 million that was approved unanimously by voters in November 2022, $5.5 million is taxpayer funded, with the remainder paid for through the district’s stabilization fund and free cash.

Haran said the requested funds still have a 10% contingency plan “just in case” the project ends up costing more and added that the treasurer has highlighted a lower interest rate on the bond.

Since the building was constructed in 1977, it has not undergone any major renovations, but the department is looking at upgrades to its garage in addition to the demolition and rebuilding of its office, which has been designed by Brewster Thornton Group Architects.

The project will involve adding a second story to the building, repaving the parking areas, replacing the garage doors and installing a ventilation system in the garage to filter out diesel fumes that the fire trucks emit. The garage will also be equipped with specialized washers so that firefighters can more readily cleanse their equipment and protective clothing of toxic substances encountered while putting out structure fires. 

Other improvements include adding bunk spaces for firefighters to sleep overnight and upgrading the training room with new televisions and projectors.