Saugatuck-area communities unite on $5M bond for fire district expansion

What’s happening: Saugatuck Township, in a joint effort with the cities of Saugatuck and Douglas, is in the process of issuing a $5 million capital improvement bond to support the Saugatuck Township Fire District’s expansion to meet the needs of future residential growth.

What’s the impact: The expansion includes 9,200 square feet of separate office space and living/sleeping quarters for fire personnel, as well as a six-bay drive-through garage to house emergency vehicles and equipment, within the new Douglas City Hall building being built at 415 Wiley Road.

What they’re saying: “The emergency service’s current facilities are insufficient to the area’s needs and inadequate to the Saugatuck Township’s Fire District’s mission,” says Fire Chief/Fire Marshal Greg Janik. “Our current facilities cannot properly house the district’s fire and emergency medical-response vehicles and equipment, and support overnight housing for emergency-service personnel necessary to maintain 24/7/365 service to the area population. By expanding and improving our facilities, we’re ensuring that our personnel and equipment are ready to respond quickly and effectively when our residents and visitors need us the most.”

Why it’s moving: The fire district has 30 employees, including 12 full-time firefighters and 18 part-time firefighters, who work out of an 8,980-square-foot facility on Blue Star Highway – more than a mile north of the Kalamazoo River, which presents response-time challenges for the southern half of the township and south side of Douglas. The new facility would be more centrally located to better respond to all three communities.

What they’re saying: “The Saugatuck Township Fire District is the backbone of community safety within the communities of Saugatuck Township, the city of Saugatuck, and the city of Douglas,” says Saugatuck Township Manager Daniel DeFranco. “This bond represents a strong, shared commitment between all three communities to meet the growing public safety needs of our area and give our fire district personnel the modern space, equipment, and resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively.”

What happened: On Oct. 8, the Saugatuck Township Board approved a resolution to issue the bond and enter a reimbursement and lease agreement with the fire district. Under the agreement, the township will lease the facilities to the fire district in return for the fire district agreeing to pay all debt service payments, all costs of issuance, and all administrative costs related to the bonds.

What’s next: “At Saugatuck Township, we are doing our part to strengthen our ability to protect the people who live, work, and visit our growing communities,” says DeFranco. “This expansion will ensure that the Saugatuck Township Fire District can serve all of our communities equally for decades to come, with the space and infrastructure to meet evolving needs.”