A Free Firehouse for Holmdel?

Is a “Free” Firehouse a Good Option for Holmdel?

March 20, 2019 - Holmdel’s latest citizens group FAST – Fire Action Safety Today – presented a summary of the official fire study released by Holmdel’s Township Committee at Friday’s annual meeting of Citizens for Informed Land Use (CILU). (Note: FAST is a separate, independent group and is not related to CILU.)

Among the study’s key findings, the audience of about 50 people learned that there is a need: (1) to increase the number of firefighters, (2) for a centrally located firehouse in order to reduce response time that is above the recommended standard of 12 minutes, and (3) to replace and refurbish existing fire trucks as soon as possible. Of particular concern is that the total number of active volunteer firefighters has gone down from about 65 in recent years to 35 cited in the study. The presentation cited references (either direct quotes or page references) from the fire study for the key findings.

After the study’s findings, there was a discussion of the latest developments, including recent Township announcements, as well as a robust Q&A session that lasted more than an hour.

Through an OPRA request, FAST learned that Holmdel was given a 12-month notice in Feb. 2017 by the Insurance Services Office (“ISO”) that Holmdel’s community fire rating will be downgraded unless improvements were made (and, in fact, was downgraded). Some residents confirmed that their homeowner insurance premium was increased by as much as 25% due to a downgrade of Holmdel’s fire rating. Some noted that even when asked twice by a resident in the audience: “What did Holmdel do after receiving this notice from ISO?”, Deputy Mayor Michael Nikolis, who attended the presentation, did not appear to give a satisfactory answer.

Prior to Friday’s presentation, Mayor Eric Hinds announced a new “free” firehouse to be built at Bell Works and that the Township will acquire a used fire truck (instead of a new fire truck as requested by the Fire Chief). Somerset Development, the developer of Bell Works, will fund the cost of the construction of the new firehouse and, in exchange, will be allowed to build 195 new small 1-bedroom apartment units (approx. 600 - 700 sq. ft.) at Bell Works. These new apartment units will not have any strings attached to them – in other words, the apartments will not count toward Holmdel’s affordable housing obligations, a subject of current litigation.

Unlike most firehouse locations that allow for easy exiting to a main or through street, residents familiar with its circuitous roads at the huge Bell Works complex expressed the concern that a firehouse located there will add critical minutes in response time, both for volunteer firefighters to get to the firehouse and for fire engines to leave Bell Works premises. In addition to questions about response time and the addition of 195 new small apartment units that are uncharacteristic of Holmdel, the location of a firehouse on private property raises additional questions as to annual maintenance or future costs and whether the Township will be beholden to the developer of Bell Works.

At the Feb. 12, 2019 Holmdel Township Committee meeting in which a $2.5 million bond ordinance for recreation improvements was approved, Committeeman Rocco Pascucci made the public statement that “we can do both” – meaning the Township can provide for recreation improvements and improve fire safety. When asked, he said that it was unacceptable to him to also put $2.5 million for fire safety along with the $2.5 million for recreation improvements because he and other Township Committeemen may want to put more than $2.5 million for fire safety.

Holmdel Township will be finalizing the 2019 budget in the next month or so. Last year’s budget reflects the following planned capital expenditures:

Current Year 2018 - 2023

Road & other improvements $2,520,000 $8,520,000

Vehicles & equipment $544,500 $3,969,500

Improvement in Parks $2,898,000 $3,398,000

Police & Emergency Service $326,500 $1,701,500

Fire Dept. equipment $41,000 $291,000

Source: Agenda for Holmdel's April 19, 2018 Budget Workshop, pp. 65-66.

Township Committeeman Pascucci’s public statement notwithstanding, it’s interesting to note what was not discussed was the option to renovate and retrofit the existing fire station centrally located on Crawfords Corner Road, which the Township already owns and is easy for fire trucks to enter and exit. Obviously, the cost (estimated at around $1.5 - 2.5 million) of any renovation of this site would be borne by the Township. However, with close to 6,000 households in Holmdel, the cost to renovate Crawfords Corner Road fire station is less than $500 per household and less than $50 per household per year if spread over a 10-year period. Instead, it appears that the “free” option at Bell Works is now being pursued.

Finally, it was also announced that the Township will start deliberation for a fire district. NJ laws allow municipalities to designate (through an ordinance) an area (including the whole town) to be a fire district. If approved, an elected Board of Fire Commissioners will have the overall authority and supervision of the fire district (i.e., the township’s fire safety), including separate taxes to meet the funding needs of the fire district.

The public is invited to provide input and comments on all these issues.