Fire Station

[7F24]

Are there any selectboard members on this forum that could explain why they think it's a good idea to use the fire station as a teen center?  I can think of a lot of good reasons why it should not be used, but I can't think of one why it should.

[gpdvt]

Not a selectboard member but as a citizen I can think of a few:
1)possiblity of recruitment(down the road) for fire/rescue team. They'll be in the building, seeing what the Dept. does might put the spark of being a firefighter or emt
into someone who might have never thought of it before.
2)double use of a building could save money and potentially increase the chances of getting money to expand/update the building in the future.
3)Will teach respect for others property as obviously strict rules and accountability will be needed so the teens don't damage or cause problems with the facility.
4)Good PR for fire/rescue department

Like everything in this world there are positives/negatives. Perhaps there may be other options for a location, weighing the pos/neg of each should make the decision very easy.

[7F5]

There is no doubt we need a place for our teens. We as a town do not need an adolescence daycare. Since 9/11 all fire stations across this country have been consider high security property. There is approximately 1 million dollars worth of vehicles in the station, also there is equipment used to protect our lives and people who we respond to. THIS CAN NOT BE JEPARDIZED.

This building is also our primary Emergency Operations Center. Most of these young adult will be dropped off by parents. If an emergency were to occur, and the EOC brought online. How do we get 50 or so people out of the building while trying to deal with the emergency?

Would the old Hillcrest Produce or Vermont Food Venture buildings work?

Just my concerns.

Steve-EMC

[Henry]

Some good ideas that could be looked into Steve - I had thought of the Old Grange Hall in Main Hill, but that hasn't been used for years and suspect it would need a lot of work.  Would be a good Historical Renovation Project if we were in better economic times.  Lots of History in that building.

[MikeF9]

The old Ramsay's Garage could be remodeled for a teen center. State or federal funds or grants could be used if it is a teen or community center, and not a place of business.

[trussell]

I agree that the fire station isn't the best- or even "ideal"- place for a teen center, but I applaud the selectboard for even considering it.  Yes, having a separate "community building" would be great- but last time I checked, the town didn't have any extra money or spare buildings laying around.  Thank you GPDVT, for the positives....

[7F24]

1)possibility of recruitment(down the road) for fire/rescue team. They'll be in the building, seeing what the Dept. does might put the spark of being a firefighter or EMT into someone who might have never thought of it before.


This was my first comment too. We welcome possible members or cadets, we are at the station every Tuesday, and we love having visitors.  As for being in the building- they would only be allowed in the meeting hall, which means locks would have to be installed on the doors that go into the garage and bunk room for safety and security.  I can imagine responding @ 2am to a call, no power in the station, trying to get through the new locks in the dark to get to the trucks.

 
2)double use of a building could save money and potentially increase the chances of getting money to expand/update the building in the future.

We've already doubled the use, with fire and rescue in the same building, and the seniors luncheons.

3)Will teach respect for others property as obviously strict rules and accountability will be needed so the teens don't damage or cause problems with the facility.

This is a good point too.  Why have they stopped using the day care?  I've heard rumors that the place was being left a little untidy, is this true?  Who will be responsible for cleaning the building?

4)Good PR for fire/rescue department

Is our PR bad?

My biggest concern is trying to respond to a call when the parking lot and road is full of parents dropping off or picking up 50 kids, while 20 fire and rescue people are trying to park and get their vehicles out.
I think we can find a better place for this, the school has the parking and I'm sure they can find room somewhere.  I liked Henry's idea, I'd love to see that building restored.

[Chris Santee]

From The Fairfax News December issue 2008:

Fairfax Receives State Village Designation

In September, the Vermont Downtown Development Board, voted to approve an application submitted by Susie Jones, of Fairfax, on behalf of the Town of Fairfax making Fairfax one of 83 designated village centers in Vermont. Susie Jones, Development Review Board member and Colleen Steen, Fairfax Regional Commission member (NWRPC) made the presentation to the Downtown Development Board in Montpelier.

Since its inception in 2002, the Vermont village center designation process recognizes and encourages local efforts to revitalize Vermont’s traditional village centers. Village centers are the traditional center of the community, typically composed of a cohesive core of residential, civic, religious, and commercial buildings arranged along a main street and intersection streets.

Benefits to property owners, business owners, lessees and the village are:

·  Eligibility to apply for Tax Credits for Substantial Rehabilitation of Certified Historic Buildings, Façade Improvements and to Code improvements

·  Designated village centers will be given priority consideration for all grants administered through the State’s Municipal Planning Grant Program and the Consolidated Plan for HUD funding, including the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG).

·  Designated village centers will be given consideration and priority by the State Building Department when leasing or constructing buildings, in consultation with the community.

·  A special assessment district in a designated village may use funds for operating costs in addition to capital expenses.

In Fairfax, the designated village center runs from Route 104 at the Lamoille River into the flashing light area by the bakery, along all roads heading towards the school, up a short distance of Fletcher Road (near the United Church) and then heading north on Route 104 to Fisher Pond Road.

You can visit www.historicvermont.org under the downtown program for more information or contact Susie Jones at 524-0469.

[mirjo]

"Will teach respect for others property as obviously strict rules and accountability will be needed so the teens don't damage or cause problems with the facility."

With all due respect, I don't think it's possible to enforce strict rules on a large group of 11-14 year olds, not w/o MP's carrying M16's and not allowing them any freedom. I have seen the Teen Center in action at the Daycare, it was noisy, busy and active as you would expect it to be. I don't think the kids were being bad, I think they were being what they are. They need and deserve a safe place to go where they can act their age and have fun. the fire station is not that place for all of the reasons mentioned above and more.

The public sees it as this large room with space for all kinds of different activities without realizing that it's not an ideal public building. Although fire and rescue services are volunteer and aren't utilized as often as in a larger community where they are FT paid jobs, the building and equipment needs to be easily accessible 24/7/365. Locking doors and equipment up so others can use the building creates a safety hazard for the entire community by prolonging response times and (as stated above) the extra cars in the yard with responders and emergency vehicles trying to get in & out would not be a good thing. It would be terrible to have an accident in the parking lot when fire and rescue are both responding to a motor vehicle accident or a fire.

The calls are infrequent, but you never know when they are going to come in. Hopefully the selectboard will realize this is not a good idea and a better solution will arise for our kids.

[cedarman]

"Will teach respect for others property as obviously strict rules and accountability will be needed so the teens don't damage or cause problems with the facility."

While I think accountability does encourage responsibilty, I don't think it teaches respect.   I don't want to stereotype teenagers and infer that they will all damage things in the coarse of "just being kids", but the reality is that there WILL always be a few mischevious kids in a group.  They will go off and do their own thing when the rest are just trying to have good, clean fun.     

Many parents complain about their kids not cleaning up their rooms or anything else.  What would possess someone on the select board to think that teenagers would clean up after themselves and not leave the fire station meeting area a mess.

Who would be accountable?  Parents of teens after something is damaged??  How would that be enforced? 

Personally, I think if the Select board members think this is such a good and workable idea, each one of them should personally be overseeing the teens every night they get together.  By overseeing, i mean physically sitting in a chair at the entrance to the equipment area, AND cleaning the entire area when everyone has left.   Just so nothing happens when the select board member has to use the bathroom, there should be a minimum of 2 members there at all times that teens are present.

Unless each board member is willing to personally commit to this kind of "strict oversight", the idea of using a valuable public safety resource as a teen gathering center should be quickly thrown out.