Cornelia proceeds with fire station expansion, purchase of ladder truck

CORNELIA - A new fire department ladder truck soon will be protecting Cornelia structures.

Tuesday night the Cornelia City Commission approved spending up to $345,260 with R.G. Williams Construction Inc. of Homer to construct three bays at the fire department's North Station, 347 Old Historic Highway 441.

The completion of those heated, enclosed bays, will allow the city to get full ISO credit for the station located in the former Regions Midway Branch.

Also Tuesday night, the commission approved purchasing a 75-foot aerial fire truck from E-One for $636,969.

While Rosenbauer of Flintstone was about $30,000 less expensive, at $606,227, that company failed to meet all the specifications in the request for proposals. Additionally, Habersham County Fire Department officials provided the city with a two-page letter detailing ongoing and unresolved problems with 2010 and 2012 Rosenbauer trucks.

Pierce of Forsyth was the other bidder, coming in at $645,646.

The truck from E-One can be placed into service much quicker than those from other manufacturers.

"We can get it delivered almost immediately," Fire Chief Frankie Smith told commissioners during the work session preceding Tuesday night's meeting.

Smith said it would take up to a year for one of the others to be delivered and placed into service.
 
Since the truck is replacing the city's 1969 Snorkel aerial truck, delivery time is a consideration, City Manager Donald Anderson said.

Smith added if service is needed on the new truck, E-One has a facility 50 miles away in Winder, closer than the other manufacturers who bid. Forsyth is 133 miles from Cornelia, while Flintstone is 148 miles away.

The loan to finance the station construction and aerial truck purchase, not to exceed $1 million, will be handled as a lease/purchase over a five-year period. Sealed proposals from five local banks were received, with the best proposal from South State Bank at a rate of 1.28 percent interest over the five-year loan period.

Other proposals included 1.987 percent interest from Regions Bank; United Community Bank at 2.25 percent; Community & Southern Bank at 2.52 percent; and Traditions Bank at 2.75 percent.

Because both projects are included in SPLOST 6 funding, the loan payments will be made using SPLOST 6 revenue.

Payments will be made quarterly beginning April 1.

R.G. Williams Construction Inc. of Homer will construct three heated engine bays where the drive-up teller lines formerly were located at the Regions Bank Midway Branch, now Cornelia Fire Department North Station.

Cornelia employees have completed demolition of the former drive-through lanes at the former Regions Bank Midway Branch, now Cornelia Fire Department North Station.

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