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Report stating Massena Fire Hall can be used despite crumbling floor creates debate among elected officials

Posted 8/19/15

By ANDY GARDNER MASSENA -- The village board decided Tuesday to accept a report that says the fire hall can still be used, despite the crumbling floor, but not without some serious debate over …

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Report stating Massena Fire Hall can be used despite crumbling floor creates debate among elected officials

Posted

By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The village board decided Tuesday to accept a report that says the fire hall can still be used, despite the crumbling floor, but not without some serious debate over whether they should contract engineer services or do the repairs in-house.

The parking bay floor is deteriorating from underneath.

A preliminary report from Zangrilli Engineering says the floor can hold some weight, like a pickup truck and everyday foot traffic, but Public Works Superintendent Hassan Fayad says the building should be closed as a safety precaution.

“I would not park my pickup truck … I would not park any vehicle on there,” Fayad said. “If you ask me to put my professional stamp on it, I would close it. I don’t want to be responsible for a chunk of concrete falling on someone.”

Some of the trustees seemed to have faith in Zangrilli’s ability to assess the level of risk.

“Why would we go against it (the Zangrilli report)?” Trustee Matt Lebire said.

“What the chief engineer of the village said is we should close it,” Trustee Tim Ahlfeld said.

Fayad noted that he had not had as much time to study it in-depth, but was going with his feelings based on what he knows so far. He said a report could take six weeks or more to complete.

He said he doesn’t have the resources or manpower to do the task without sacrificing necessary work.

“You’re telling my department to do the work … let the snow pile up in the winter time,” Fayad said.

Carvel noted that the board would probably ask it be done after summer road work and before snowfall.

Although the motion passed, some of the trustees weren’t comfortable with the $7,500 price tag.

“The village is broke,” Lebire said.

“That’s not a big job to go in and stabilize that floor … you’re not going to see that floor just collapse … you don’t have to get a Cadillac when a Chevrolet will do,” Ahlfeld said.

He then withdrew the motion he had made moments before to hire Zangrilli.

After some talk of tabling action until September, Mayor Tim Currier called a short recess. He stepped outside with Village Clerk Monique Chatland and returned to the board room after about two minutes.

He returned, and seconded a motion made by Lebire to hire Zangrilli. The trustees voted, with Ahlfeld and Lebire voting aye. Carvel and Albert Deshaies voted nay, and Currier chipped in the tie-breaking vote. He usually leaves voting to the board.

During the closing public comment portion after former mayor Charlie Boots asked Currier why he left the room, he said it was to check a procedural document to make sure he was within his right to second a motion and vote.

“I typically don’t vote,” Currier said, having previously mentioned he believes it is critical the village take action as soon as possible.