Plans For Two New Ladue Fire Houses Shaping Up In The New Year

The City of Ladue is forging ahead with plans to build new firehouses this year. The two present stations, located on both ends of Clayton Road, were built in the 1950s, and lack space for both employees needs and equipment. They don’t meet the stands of the International Organization for Standards (ISO),  the international governing body of firefighters worldwide.

After lengthy discussion, Ladue City Council decided to call for a public town hall meeting to engage the community. City Manager Mike Woolridge will arrange a date prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting in February.

Ladue officials have been presented with three options said Chris Chiodini, a principal of Chiodini Architect Associates and lead designer of this project.

They could either renovate existing stations, build new stations on existing grounds of the present stations, or consolidate and build one large engine house on the property behind City Hall.

The nearly unanimous consensus is to build from the ground up at the two present locations.

The new stations will gain significant footage by adding basements to the new structures. Added space will provide for more bunk rooms, workout rooms and storage areas; office space; and expanded kitchens and dining areas.

“I’m a restaurant guy,” said Mayor Anthony Bommarito, "And I know the kitchens are terrible.” That got a laugh from the audience.

Ward 2 Councilmember John Fox called for the public engagement meeting. “We should have more time to think about this (project), and we need a public hearing. I am personally reluctant to go any further without public input,” he said.

Fire Chief Eric Hinson addressed the issues at hand. “Our last ISO inspection was 10 years ago, and we barely passed. A poor report would result in higher insurance rates for almost all taxpayers in the community.”

The city has two firehouses. When Highway 40 was constructed, it was highly suggested that Ladue have stations at both ends of Clayton Road for quick responses to highway accidents, Hinson said.

“That need is very much the same in 2012 as it was then,” Hinson said.

Modern stations will allow for bigger fire trucks to park inside and will allow for rear entry to the station cut down on stopping traffic on Clayton Road when returning from duties.

Jim Schiele, longtime member of the city’s finance committee, urged the counsel to line up all the ducks in advance of a public hearing.

“We just seem to have too much concept and not enough facts,” Schiele said. “People will come to this meeting, and they are going to know what this project will cost, and how it will be paid for."

In another piece of business, the city council passed an ordinance amending the 1988 fire code to make the choice of adding Knox boxes to residential property “voluntary.”

Front door keys to homes are secured in Knox boxes, and only firefighting personnel have keys to open the boxes. This cuts down on response time and damage to doors or windows to enter residences when responding to fire calls.

Councilmembers also approved by voice vote a bill consolidating two lots on Glen Eagle Drive into one to accommodate tennis courts and a swimming pool already in place.

Councilmembers authorized Public Works Director Dennis Bible to purchase a 2012 Ford Explorer through the Missouri Cooperative Procurement program for $21,600, replacing a Buick with more than 130,000 miles. The closest competitive nongovernmental bid from a local Ford dealership was more than $31,000.