Clarkesville looks to restart fire station planning

CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — Clarkesville officials are preparing to restart the process of planning a new fire station, with the city’s incoming manager expected to make the long-running project a priority after taking office next week.

The City Council added discussion of a fire station request for qualifications and request for proposals to its work session agenda Tuesday, July 28, as officials considered how quickly to move forward while incoming City Manager Jason Streetman gets up to speed.

Streetman, who takes over Aug. 3, said he understands the urgency surrounding the project but wants time to review the work the city has already done.

“I really like to kind of just get right up to speed of what y’all have done,” Streetman said. “I don’t know what that timeline looks like, but I do know I can say that I typically move at a fast pace, and I’m not one to suffer from analysis paralysis.”

Streetman said the fire station would be a priority. Asked later by Councilman Brad Coppedge whether August was a realistic timeframe for him to become engaged in the project, Streetman indicated it was, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Councilwoman Leigh Johnston said she and Grants Manager Sara Burke have already been working on an RFQ and had initially targeted its release between Aug. 1 and Aug. 10. That timeline, however, was established before officials knew Streetman would not begin until Aug. 3.

Johnston said delaying the start of the process could push the RFQ through September and the subsequent RFP process through October, potentially resulting in an award in November.

“If everybody’s comfortable with it going that far, then we’re good,” Johnston said, adding that Mayor Franklin Brown has been pushing for the project to move forward.

Brown and Mayor Pro Tem Angelia Kiker were not present at Tuesday’s work session.

Site and ISO questions

The discussion is the latest step in the city’s efforts to replace its existing fire station and redevelop the former Habersham County courthouse property at 555 Monroe St.

The city has been considering placing the new station on a portion of the former courthouse property while pursuing private development, potentially a hotel, on another portion of the downtown site.

In March, the council unanimously commissioned a topographical survey of the property, which officials described as the first formal step toward determining how the site could accommodate the two projects. At the time, Brown said the city first needed to determine the fire station’s requirements before knowing how much property would remain available for development.

Johnston said Tuesday that one of the biggest remaining questions is how the location of a new station would affect the city’s Insurance Services Office, or ISO, rating. She is seeking a definitive answer on how far the station could be located from its current service area without affecting that rating.

“That’s a very defining factor, hands down,” Johnston said. “That’s our number one factor.”

Johnston said officials also must consider proximity to taller buildings, apartment complexes and other structures with higher occupancy, as well as residential growth in other parts of the city. Visibility and accessibility to the community are also considerations.

The question comes after Brown pushed in May for the fire station to remain part of the redevelopment of the former courthouse site as city officials discussed planning for both the station and a potential hotel.

Asked by Now Georgia after Tuesday’s meeting whether the ISO review means the former courthouse property may not ultimately be the site of the station, Johnston said officials are seeking confirmation that the existing plan is the best option.

“We just want to triple check that a portion of the old courthouse property dedicated to a new fire station would give our residents the best ISO rating possible,” Johnston said.

Johnston said she has also met with the Georgia Department of Transportation at the site under consideration to get guidance on potential limitations. City officials are planning tours of several fire stations, including Cleveland’s new downtown station, to look at facilities more closely scaled to Clarkesville’s needs.

She said the goal is to build a station that meets the city’s operational needs without overbuilding.

RFQ process

Burke clarified Tuesday that the city’s first step would be a request for qualifications, not a request for quotes.

The RFQ would allow the city to determine which firms have the experience to perform the work by reviewing qualifications, resumes and examples of previous projects.

“All we’re looking for is qualifications,” Burke said. “Who can do it? Have they done it before?”

The city would then move into the RFP process. Burke said officials will need to establish a scoring system and select a committee, preferably with an odd number of members and people who have experience relevant to the project, to evaluate submissions.

The RFP would be publicly advertised, including through the state’s procurement system, and would spell out the criteria and point system used to evaluate proposals.

Councilman Blake Rainwater said Streetman should be allowed to determine when he has enough information to move the project forward, noting the new manager will be getting acquainted with every city department when he arrives.

“I think you need to let us know when you think you’re up to speed,” Rainwater told Streetman, “and then get with Leigh and say, ‘I think it’s time.’”

Johnston said the city cannot wait indefinitely to settle the questions surrounding the project.

“We’ve been down this road forever,” she said. “We could wait and do that till the cows come home. … At some point in time, we just have to make a decision.”