SYRACUSE — Turkey Creek Township Advisory Board Monday, Aug. 13, awarded a $507,837 contract to Syracuse-based Milestone Construction for renovations to the territory’s two fire stations.

Turkey Creek Township Trustee Barb Griffith, left; and board members Bill Dixon, John Heckaman and Dennis Darr. (Photo by Ray Balogh)

The motion, passed unanimously, was contingent on final contract approval by Andrew Grossnickle, the township’s attorney, Fire Chief Mickey Scott and a representative of Milestone; and submission of a performance bond by Milestone.

The contract is subject to a 5 percent contingency amount. “Any change orders will need to be approved separately,” said Grossnickle. The motion also authorized the architect to sign an intent to proceed form.

The board appropriated $300,000 from the fire territory equipment replacement budget to pay for station renovations this calendar year.

“The architect figures we’ll need $335,00 this year, and we already have $25,000 in the budget,” said Scott. “The construction company said they will work with us on the amount.”

Township Trustee Barb Griffith presented her 2019 proposed budget of $223,500. “That’s about $3,000 less than last year,” she said. The board unanimously approved the budget.

One notable reduction in the budget proposal was the line item for cemetery care. This year’s budget was $37,000. Griffith reduced her request for next year to $20,000 because, “we have no more cemeteries to remediate.” She also reduced the request for rainy day funds from $30,000 to $20,000.

Griffith said she and Scott will meet with the state’s department of local government finance at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at Warsaw City Hall to get budget approval from the state.

In his July report, Scott said the department responded to 24 fire calls and 108 EMS calls, saving an estimated $280,000 in property damage. He also reported department personnel underwent 321.75 hours of fire and EMS training during the month.

Scott reported the imminent closing of several railroad crossings along the east-west CSX tracks in Syracuse. “We are working on obtaining information from CSX on dates and times of when various railroad crossings will be closed,” he said.

Scott also reminded the public the local schools will resume classes and asked everyone “to be aware there will be more traffic and children present in and nearby the street and roadways.”

He also cleared up a misconception many members of the public have about the necessity of stopping for school buses.

“People don’t realize if we are running on an emergency call, even with lights and sirens, and the arm comes out on a school bus, we have to stop, too,” he said. “So do the police.”

The board will next meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10, in Syracuse Town Hall.