The Villages is plowing ahead with a new fire station south of State Road 44 after rancorous Sumter County Commission discussions over funding had raised concerns about the future of the station.
The Village Center Community Development District Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved two high-priority items for The Villages Public Safety Department.
The VCCDD board agreed to move ahead with Fire Station 46 to be located at Warm Springs Boulevard near Fenney Way. The project has been awarded to Kingdom Construction Services which came in with a low bid of $4.1 million.
“Due to the continued growth and expansion of The Villages the increase in population, and the increase in residential and commercial properties, it is necessary to construct and operationalize Fire Station 46 to provide adequate fire and EMS response coverage within The Villages service area,” said Purchasing Director Melissa Schaar, who presented the bids to the VCCDD board.
In addition, the VCCDD board agreed to spend $866,576 for a new firetruck for the public safety department. It will be replacing a 17-year-old truck with nearly 140,000 miles on the odometer. That truck has become increasingly unreliable and has seen frequent breakdowns.
In a memo to the VCCDD board, Fire Chief Brian Twiss said the new truck “will improve our ability to respond quickly and efficiently to fire and rescue calls, ultimately saving lives and reducing property damage.” He added that the retiring truck, “has served us well.”
