Board approves bids for Station 2

SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Board approved bids to address the water issues at Station 2 at their special meeting Aug. 5. They also reaffirmed the Board Chair’s powers and duties beyond Montana Code Annotated 7-33-2105.

At the July 19 meeting, Fire Chief Dave Lane said since the District purchased Station 2, there has been an ongoing issue with moisture getting into the building. The moisture gets into the vapor barrier, in the crawl space and in the attic.

The board received three bids to address the water issues at Station 2 which Board Chair Scott Kennedy rounded to $20,000, $40,000 and $80,000 during the Aug. 5 meeting. All of the companies had inspected Station 2 prior to submitting a bid. Bid one and three addressed the crawl space and the attic. Bid 2 proposed work on the main floor.

Kennedy said the first bid did not include sheetrock work because it was not needed or flooring because the flooring was dry and good.

When Trustee Jon Kimble asked where the “it was not needed” assessment came from, Kennedy said that is what Lane told him.

Kimble pressed and Kennedy said it was the companies who bid on the project to assess what was needed.

Vice Chair Gary Lewis felt that there must be something going on in the bathroom because bid two had work included in the main level.

Kimble agreed, “Somehow these guys got the idea that there was damage on the main floor in order to do this much work.”

Kennedy said he could not speak for the bidders. However, he felt the higher bids were covering more items that were not necessary.

Secretary Rita Rossi asked about change orders and how that could affect the price.

Kennedy said there was so much difference in the bids he didn’t feel that needed to be scrutinized like they should if the bids were closer.

Public attendee Shawn Ellinghouse pointed out if there is a water issue in the attic, there may be an issue with the roof.

Lewis agreed, water in the crawl space could mean water coming from all three levels.

Kennedy said he is not comfortable with addressing an issue with the roof as a change order. While he recognizes that they will need a new roof at some point, that is a separate issue than the bid they were considering. He added they don’t see anything coming down through the ceiling so he thinks the moisture in the attic is just lack of ventilation.

“I’m more inclined to deal with the issue at hand and the outside that will be coming up and see what else they need to do to make it right,” Kennedy said. “This will not read other problems into the bid and revisit those items as they come up.”

Kennedy recommended going with the lowest bid from Good Environmental Services and then addressing the bathroom as a separate issue.

The board unanimously approved their bid around $20,000 with an acceptance of up to 20% additional cost.

To address the issue of water on the exterior of the building, the board received two bids, one for $460 from Deer Creek Excavating and another for more than double from another local contractor.

Kimble asked if they needed three bids. Kennedy said they didn’t get anymore after the Chief called around to local businesses. He added because it is the groundwork for the maintenance of Station 2 he didn’t feel a vote was needed. However since it ties into a large bid he wanted to put it out to the public.

The Board unanimously approved Deer Creek Excavating’s bid of $460 for the exterior dirt work with Lewis and Kimble abstaining.

The board also reaffirmed the Board Chair’s powers and duties without discussion.

The next regular meeting will be Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Fire Hall. The agenda is posted at seeleyfire.org.