The City Council postponed a decision Monday on selling a 33-foot parcel of city-owned land next to the firehouse to the Colchester Fire Protection District. The land sale would support plans to expand fire department facilities, but council members and fire officials disagreed on whether the parcel is sufficient for the department’s needs.
Assistant Fire Chief Rodger Hodges and Captain Jared Dixon addressed the council during public comments, saying the 33-foot strip is too small for the fire department’s growth plans. Dixon said the department ideally needs 99 feet to build a new facility and eventually demolish the aging current building.
“The trucks have gotten so big that their weight is damaging our concrete floor,” Dixon said. “There are holes in the walls and floor, vines growing inside. The building is cramped and doesn’t meet our needs.”
Council members Catherine Louderman and Donna Wetzel expressed willingness to sell the 33-foot parcel but emphasized the need for further negotiations to reach a compromise.
The discussion also touched on the city’s priority to establish its first fulltime police department in 25 years, including hiring a full-time police chief. Council members raised concerns about the administrative and operational costs of a new police station, which would likely be built near the firehouse.
Alderman Frances Welch highlighted budget constraints, noting the city’s general revenue is $460,000 while administrative expenses total $887,000. “We need to consider these numbers before deciding how much to spend on a new police building,” she said.
Mayor Mark Clark said the city could pursue both projects simultaneously. “Selling land to the fire department and building a new police station are not mutually exclusive,” Clark said. “Ultimately, it’s a matter of want versus need. The fire department wants all the land, which could block other projects for residents.”
The council voted to refer the land sale and police station plans to the Building and Grounds Committee for further negotiation. Alderman Louderman said the goal is to find common ground.
