A RAYMOND VISION AND PLAN FOR FIRE-RESCUE

Dear Raymond Citizen,

The package you have been presented contains a brief history, financial plan, fact sheet, and basic floor plan for the requested Raymond Fire and Rescue Facility proposed to replace the District One Station located on Main Street.

(It was provided as a brief hand out to answer some of the questions and concerns for the public.)

I was recruited as Chief, by the previous town manager and started work during October of 1998. Twenty years of experience on the Portland Fire Department and a desire to help my community brought me to this challenge.

Problems ranging from lack of volunteers, lack of programs, no computers, aging buildings and related infrastructures, lack of over night quarters, technical equipment, an average response time of 14 minutes, and low morale etc.

I began with one on one interviews with current and exiting members, reviewed the past ten-year annual reports and budgets, and researched our revenue producing program. It was decided by the town manager and I that in order to begin addressing the major problems, I should revamp the incoming Fire/Rescue revenues and do a quick study of the existing budget process. That year's predicted expected Department revenues were down graded to $40,000.00 instead of the predicted $60,000.00 Six months later with a new focus and hundreds of hours work, we reached $90,000.00 plus. The previous six year average was approximately $35,000.00. As you read this, I believe the new three year average under my leadership and plan will be over $100,000.00.

Step one of the plan (Revenues) was developed and up and running, step two was a facility in which to train and meet OSHA Standards. The history, the needs, and the request began in 1988 and hopefully ends with the Special Town Meeting on Tuesday, June 5`", at the Raymond Elementary School at 7:00 pm.

A quick history of our efforts leading to the second step follows. There were three committees, two Annual Town Meetings votes of support, a $7,000.00 expense for a private company to study our needs and the existing District One Station. Design Alliance did a preliminary floor plan and cost estimate of $2,000,000.00. Mary Jane

Karpoe, daughter of past Chief Reg Brown, and her family have given a gift of 8+ acres of land for the building. The facility can be constructed without impacting the current tax rate. This new building will make possible a safer and healthier foundation for today and tomorrow's volunteers.

The project budget was developed utilizing the most inexpensive method possible which is a design/build bid. This process lends itself to large metal buildings that look commercial and are difficult to enlarge. Although we did receive two quotes from contractors utilizing metal, the lowest bid was from Glen Builders utilizing a wood frame 2x6, vinyl sided building. This is a better-insulated building with lower ceiling bay space, and is a very easy building to remodel or add on to should the Town decide to have a police department (County or local) in the future. The facility though less expensive is still very functional. We will be developing a pro-community atmosphere for all the organizations in Town. The stump dump from site work tree removal will be buried and converted to a recreation field/helicopter pad.

This facility (foundation) will assist us in retaining, recruiting, and training our members while providing the members the ability to shower, store personal clothing and rescue gear, eliminate members on going breathing of the known cancer causing soot of diesel exhaust. Many basic needs will be covered including a comfortable training room, a kitchen for community use and disaster coverage. The garage will have room to store the rescue boat and service truck. There will be a bay to do year-round training and repairs to the equipment.

We cannot lower our average response time of 11 minutes to an acceptable time of 6 minutes without using over night accommodations and creating a desirable space for our volunteers or hiring full time employees. Our plan is to develop a volunteer friendly space. Both our neighbors Gray and Windham have found it necessary to hire full time 24 hour a day help to cover their needs. Our volunteers are still meeting Raymond's demand.

The majority of the Board of Selectmen voted to support our request as did the Budget/ Finance Committee unanimously.

Please take the time to review our package, consider our basic needs, and support those community members that leave their homes when called upon in your time of need.

Thank you for your time and consideration on this very timely and important matter.

Chief Denis A. Morse

FACT: The station will cost $1.795 million, of which $200,000 was previously appropriated. The actual amount of money that will be bonded is $1.595 million.

You must also remember Mary Jane Karpoe's kind donation of approximately 8.5 acres of land located on Route 302. When you factor in the value of the donated property, the actual value of the station will be much greater than the $1.795 million.

FACT: The planned financing for the station is the same money that has been in the town's general fund used to convert the Jordan Small School into a middle school. Our previous Town Manager, Nathan Poore, planned to recommend use of the $225,000 for other Town projects such as the station, a community center, or to address the needs of the Town Hall.

The fact that this money has been in the budget for several years can ensure the construction of the station will not raise taxes.

FACT: Through member diligence and increased management scrutiny, the Fire Rescue Department has increased our revenues from a six year average of $35,000 to more than $100,000 this year. This money has always been returned to the general fund. We project that with our increasing revenues and the declining yearly cost of the bond, within five years our revenue will fully cover the bond.

How did we as a Town decide that a station was necessary?

FACT: The first group to determine that our current station was in need of replacement was a 1989 Steering Committee, followed by the 1990 Comprehensive Plan Committee. This committee identified several needs of the Town, including a new station, a new community center and the addition of a new elementary school, which has been built.

In 1998 Nathan Poore contracted Sebago Technics to review the feasibility of remodeling, repairing and continuing to use the current Main Street station. They determined that with the current land limitations, age of the station and the overall poor infrastructure, the everyday needs of the department could not be met.

In 1999 a Station Needs Committee was created including two members of the Fire Rescue Department, two Planning Board members, two Selectmen, the Town Manager, the Town Engineer, and two public at large. This committed used Barry Stallman of Design Alliance to develop a needs assessment, toured various other fire stations, developed general floor plans and developed a station outline. This research and recommendation was presented at the 2000 Town Meeting with the cost estimate of $2 million.

The Chair of the Selectmen formed a new committee with all the aforementioned members as well as four extra citizens at large. Two committee members resigned feeling they had been asked to repeat the process.

This new committee was also instructed to do cost containment and complete the details of the building. The committee reviewed all property available in the Route 302/Main Street area, toured other fire stations, and worked to produce a functioning facility. The committee also explored floor plans, struggled to cut costs and continued to update the Board of Selectmen.

A Request for Proposal was prepared and three companies submitted bids. The bids ranged from the $1.795 million by Glenn Builders to the $2.4 million by Payton (the firm which built the new elementary school).

The committee agreed to utilize Glenn Builders and again went before the Budget Committee, the Board of Selectmen and the 2001 Town Meeting.

With the Town Meeting's support and many meetings with the builder, the committee accepted Glenn's proposal and moved forward to the Selectmen and the Budget Committee.

FACT: This won't even the most expensive station built in our region this year! This will be a conservative, practical, energy-conscious station. It will be well-insulated, with wood structure and vinyl siding. The construction costs are priced below the metal designs proposed by other contractors. No bricks and mortar exist. This is simply as functional building, which will require low maintenance.

The size of the station is designed to hold existing equipment and equipment which is already designated in the Town's capital improvement plan for the next three years. Even the training tower and furniture have been eliminated to control costs.

For example, the department now parks one emergency vehicle outside and another sideways in the back of the East Raymond station. As a result, there is no space to train personnel, load hose or clean vehicles. More importantly, there are no showers for staff to use after being exposed to blood or other dangerous contaminates. This building will provide sufficient space to safely house equipment and personnel for quick access in the event of a fire or rescue call. It will also provide decontamination areas for equipment and personnel - an industry standard in the prevention of infectious disease or accidents.

Once you get this building, won't you be rushing to fill it with new trucks?

FACT: The Department has reduced its vehicle inventory in the last 10 years to the minimum requirements for ease of maintenance. The town has a long-term capital improvement plan that spells out the schedule for replacement of equipment. Because this plan exists, the department cannot rush to buy new equipment.

FACT: The men and women who leave their homes to take care of you, your families and your property will now be able to do so more quickly, safely and efficiently. In turn, they will be able to better maintain the equipment that is needed for every fire or rescue call in this town. Here are a few examples:

• In the winter and in bad weather, fire hose can be loaded inside - increasing readiness for the next fire call.

• During storms or long-duration calls, personnel will be able to stay at the stations -and dramatically reduce response times. They will be able to eat, sleep and clean up without exposing themselves to dangerous carbon monoxide (the current situation at the Main Street station). Also, separate sleeping quarters and restrooms will be available for both genders - something that is not available now.

• A meeting room (larger than the back room of Town Hall) will make it possible for staff to attend and participate in regular classroom training. Larger bay space will allow for year-round training on fire apparatus, tools and equipment.

The station will provide a healthy, safe worksite for those individuals (and the equipment) you want to respond quickly and reliably when you call 9-1-1.