SINCLAIR, Maine – Sinclair residents will have a chance to learn about the progress of a new fire station project planned for the community during a public hearing on Sept. 4. The new building will replace the unincorporated village’s 80-year-old station.
The facility is one of three stations operated by North Lakes Fire & Rescue. The other facilities are located in Cross Lake and Madawaska Lake.
The new station is estimated to cost $3 million, however $2.25 million of this was covered with federal congressionally directed spending money. The remaining money is coming from the state’s unorganized territory fund.
North Lakes Fire & Rescue Chief Darren Woods said that while holding this type of public hearing is no longer a requirement under the USDA, he felt it was important to host the hearing to ensure the community is informed.
“That’s really why I’m doing it,” he said. “I have a draft of plans that I can hang on the wall. People can take a look and give me any feedback they might have, and have an understanding of what’s happening in their community.”
He said he is especially respectful of the community, because of the history behind the village’s fire station. He said it was originally built in the 1940s as part of a grassroots movement from citizens to create a local fire protection district. The town’s current station is on land provided by the Catholic Diocese, Woods said.
“So because it came right from the ground roots of the community,” he said, “that’s where I would like to keep the knowledge. I’d like to keep them connected.”
The new fire station will be a significant upgrade over the current facility, adding updated wiring, handicap-accessibility, and a new truck bay that will accommodate modern vehicles. The old facility is also located less than 150 feet away from the Long Lake shoreline, which would have violated Land Use Planning Commission standards if it was built after 1971.
It is technically not a violation, however, since it was built before the Land Use Regulation Commission (which later became the LUPC) was founded.
Roughly one year ago, Aroostook County Commissioners purchased a 7.96-acre lot of land for $75,000 that will be the future site of the new facility.
Woods said he is currently waiting for the EPA to finish an environmental study for the project, at which point he will be able to put it out to bid. There is no timeline in place, but Woods said that if all goes well and he was able to go out to bid within the next couple weeks, he would hope to break ground next year.
If any aspects of the project go over budget, Woods said he would need to go back and make cuts.
“I’m not looking to increase anybody’s taxes more,” he said. “So I’m sticking really hard to the budget.”
The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on Sept. 4 at the Sinclair Senior Citizen Center on 236 Sinclair Road.
“We encourage anybody to come by, see what’s going on, and ask whatever questions they might have,” Woods said.
