Firehall Task Force

page updated July 19/11

The Task Force was comprised of islanders who responded to a request for volunteers posted in the Mayneliner and on the MIID website.

Volunteers were sought with experience in legal matters, Worksafe BC and code requirements, firefighting operations, financial planning, project management, engineering, and community engagement.

The members of the Task Force represent considerable years of collective hands-on experience in the planning, design, construction and delivery of significant public and private infrastructure projects, firefighting operations and community project management. Read the full article... (feb. 2010)

Fire Hall Task Force Reports - 2011 Last updated: 2011/01/14
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Note: the link to the January 29th public meeting presentation (below) has been corrected. We apologise for any incovenience.
NEW MIID Public Information Meeting on the Proposed New Fire Hall Jan 29, 2011 (presentation slides shown at the meeting)	view (843Kb)
Public Information Meeting of the Fire Hall Task Force-Jan 15, 2011	view (193Kb)
Task Force Public Information Meeting January 15th, 2011	view (833Kb)

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Fire Hall Task Force Reports - 2010 Last updated: 2011/01/14
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FINAL Report of the Task Force to MIID Board of Directors	view (28Kb)
FINAL Budget Cashflow Dec 20 2010.pdf	view (38Kb)
Fire Hall Task Force - Update Report - Dec. 8, 2010	view (65Kb)
Projected Firehall Cashflow pdf document Dec 6, 2010	view (65Kb)
Fire Hall Task Force - Update Report - Nov. 20, 2010	view (10Kb)
Fire Hall Task Force - Update Report - Oct. 20, 2010	view (25Kb)
Task Force Public Presentation - Progress Report Oct. 09, 2010- amended	view (65Kb)
Oct 9 Public Meeting minutes	view (698Kb)
Projected Firehall Cashflow pdf document	view (65Kb)
Fire Hall Task Force - Update Report - July 10, 2010	view (68Kb)
Fire Hall Task Force - Update Report - May 2010	view (44Kb)
Fire Hall Task Force - AGM Progress Report - April 17, 2010	view (209Kb)
Fire Hall Task Force - Update Report - February 2010	view (63Kb)
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Fire Hall Task Force articles Last updated: 2010/10/10
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Fire Hall Task Force Update	September 21, 2010	view
Fire Hall Task Force Update	September 2010	view
Fire Hall Task Force Update	August 2010	view
Fire Hall Task Force Update	February 2010	view
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FIRE HALL TASK FORCE UPDATE

posted: October 3, 2010

UPDATE

September 21 2010. Task Force project design and costs report and recommendation to MIID Board of Trustees.

The Task Force has concluded its review of the design and project cost estimates for a proposed new Fire Hall, and recommends to the Board of Trustees that:

The Fire Hall design by KMBR Architects Inc dated July 14 2010 and incorporating sub-consultants engineering designs, and the architectural outline specifications dated June 30 2010, and the costing reports dated Sept 20 2010 be adopted as the new Fire Hall proposal;

That based on the Task Force projected cash flow (all $$ rounded) in the aggregate amount of $4,011,000; less $616,000 recoveries from MIID reserves, grants and GST/HST rebates; the net amount of $3,395,000 is the maximum amount that needs to be long term financed in order to execute the project.

That the Board of Trustees immediately submit the proposal to the Provincial Government to obtain any necessary approvals and direction for a referendum (if required) to authorise long term borrowing up to a maximum amount of $3,400,000 to finance the Fire Hall project.

Report.

As detailed in the Task Force update report presented to the Mayne Island community at an Open House July 10 2010, the proposed Fire Hall will accommodate the existing vehicle apparatus and all related equipment, accommodate required MIID offices, radio and communications facility, Emergency Prepardness functions, meeting and training rooms, all with appropriate levels of security access and contamination isolation. The building and site services are designed to be fully functional post-seismic disaster.

The proposed Mayne Island Fire Hall is designed to support the level of firefighting and rescue service operations deemed appropriate for the Mayne Island community; as defined by Firefighting Authorities and other agencies having jurisdiction, and provides for flexibility to support modest changes over time.

The Task Force has worked closely with the design consultants to prepare detailed design plans and outline specifications sufficient to enable detailed project cost estimates at a Class B level (design development, construction cost control).

The TF project cash flow is based on the design development level (Class B, design development, control cost) cost estimates prepared by Advicas Group Consultants Inc in collaboration with Liberty Contract Management, dated September 20 2010.

The TF cash flow is based on the anticipation that a referendum will have concluded positively by mid March 2011, that tender drawings will be completed by April/May 2011, construction will commence April/May and be concluded by Feb/Mar 2012.

The TF project cash flow includes all consultant and Task Force costs incurred in the design development phase since the Task Force commenced in Jan 2010, plus the expected referendum costs. In addition to the Liberty estimates, the cash flow accounts for costs associated with move in and move out, temporary relocation of the watertank farm, radio antennae, referendum costs, Task Force expenses during construction, landscaping, and permits.

The cashflow accounts for all costs and facilities necessary to ensure that all firefighting, emergency and rescue services are fully operational before, during and after the construction phase.

The Task Force cash flow incorporates a contingency of 10% ($308,000) applied to all costs to be incurred post referendum (i.e. construction, design, site services, management and soft costs, temporary accommodation), and notes that at this level of estimating these are normally considered to be contingent costs associated with client design changes and changes to scope of work, none of which are considered to be needed. In addition the cash flow has incorporated an 2% inflation allowance, again on all costs, ($61,600) per the recommendations of Liberty/Advicas.

The cash flow projects that the interim financing costs of the project are in the order of $81,000, based on a credit line interest rate of 5%. We understand that a bank line of credit may well negotiated at a nominally lower rate. The maximum interim financing amount is anticipated to be in the order of $3.5 million (slightly larger than the maximum long term borrowing amount due to time delays in recovery of HST and receipt of 2011 MIID reserve allocations).

The Task Force, through cost estimate discussions with Liberty, are aware of “first cut” potential cost savings through design changes which would not compromise the functional integrity of the building. These potential cost savings, initially in the order of $230,000, and potentially more, will be fully addressed during the final design development, post referendum. The cash flow projections only includes a nominal $50,000 of the savings and the balance of potential savings are NOT included in the cash flow projections.

Respectfully submitted

Bill Warning, Chair.

MIID Fire Hall Task Force

FIRE HALL TASK FORCE UPDATE

September 16, 2010

UPDATE

“The Task Force will hold a public information meeting about the proposed new fire hall on Oct 9th at the Agricultural Hall at 2:00PM."

FIRE HALL TASK FORCE UPDATE

September 2010

The Task Force update meeting previously scheduled for September 4^th is cancelled, due to delays in receiving costing estimates, and not having sufficient time to gather and present full financial information. The Task Force, as indicated in previous updates, prefer to do a thorough review of all costing information, rather than expediting the process to meet arbitrary deadlines.

The update meeting will be rescheduled when the Task Force can present detailed plans, project cost estimates and all other financial information. This meeting will likely be a presentation/discussion format, and in order for as many community members to attend, there will be a morning session at 10 AM, with a repeat session in the afternoon at 2 PM. The meeting date and further details will be posted on our website and all Island notice boards in due course.

The Task Force has had a busy August, meeting with the consultants and receiving detailed plans and preliminary cost estimates. The Task Force are presently reviewing the details, resolving several items, making some costing decisions and ensuring that all costs are properly included, particularly the costs related to onsite conditions such as water storage, septic, power supply and backup systems.

The October 2^nd date was originally tentatively scheduled by the MIID Board as a pre-referendum public meeting. The Board will be rescheduling this meeting when the Task Force have reported their recommendations to the Board of Trustees.

For information about the Task Force and their recommendations, including a 4 page brochure, please check out the new MIID website at www.miidonline.com

If you have any comments, concerns, questions, or information you would like to share, please contact the Task Force directly at esctfc-miid@shaw.ca

submitted by Bill Warning, (Chair), on behalf of the Task Force.

FIRE HALL TASK FORCE UPDATE

August 2010

Thank you to all who were able to participate in the well attended Open House July 10. Site plans, building concept layouts and elevations were on display, and members of the Task Force were on hand to answer questions and to hear your feedback. There were a number of comments and suggestions made, all of which are being followed up by the Task Force. The comments, questions, and responses when determined, will be posted on the MIID website.

If you were unable to join us on July 10 and would like to see the display, look for the Task Force table at the Fall Fair, August 21^st.

The proposed replacement fire hall will be a one storey structure, with a small mezzanine storage and mechanical room above one of the small vehicle bays. In addition to the fire fighting vehicle bays, equipment areas and firefighting crew facilities, the proposed hall will provide for training meeting rooms, fire officers’ work space and MIID offices.

The consultants have now completed the first round of detailing the mechanical and architectural components, and the project manager is working with the costing consultants to compile construction cost control estimates. The Task Force anticipate receiving the estimates in early August, and will be reviewing them, together with alternate approaches to materials and finishes, and other cost saving initiatives that are being proposed.

The Task Force will be combining the construction estimates with all other project costs, such as financing, insurance, permits, site costs and temporary facilities, to arrive at a total project cost.

A further Task Force update meeting has been scheduled for September 4^th, at the Community Centre, when the Task Force hope to be presenting detailed plans, project cost estimates and other financial information. This meeting will likely be a presentation/discussion format, and in order for as many community members to attend, there will be a morning session at 10 AM, with a repeat session in the afternoon at 2 PM.

Please note the date Saturday Oct 2, which the MIID has tentatively scheduled for a pre- referendum public meeting, in the expectation that the Task Force will have reported their recommendations to the Board of Trustees.

There is a lot of work to be completed by the Task Force in August, in order to present a complete proposal together with all financial information at the September 4^th meetings. The Task Force prefer to do a thorough review of all costing information, rather than expediting the process to meet deadlines. If the financial material is not completed in time, the September 4^th meeting will be a further update, and the full proposal presented on October 2^nd, and the Board will be asked to reschedule a referendum public meeting to later in the year. All meeting details will be widely advertised closer to the times.

For a complete set of the earlier Task Force recommendations, and the handout material from the July Open House, please check out the MIID website at a new link: www.miidonline.com

If you have any comments, concerns, questions, or useful information to share, please contact the Task Force directly at esctfc-miid@shaw.ca

Submitted by Bill Warning, (Chair), on behalf of the Task Force.

Mayne Island Fire/Rescue Service Building UPDATE Feb. 2010

The September 2009 $4.2 million borrowing referendum for a new fire hall and emergency operations centre was cancelled when the underlying annual repayment calculation (based on information provided by the bank advising the MIID) was determined to be significantly erroneous.

There was also community concern over maintaining ongoing operations while a new fire hall was being built, and also concern as to whether the concept plans were overly conservative in addressing emergency preparedness operations.

There was also community sentiment that the design and costing accuracy should be taken to the next level of certainty before a financial commitment and approval was sought.

On advice from the community, and to keep the planning for a fire hall and emergency operations centre moving forward, MIID formed the “Fire Hall Task Force”.

The Task Force is comprised of islanders who responded to a request for volunteers posted in the Mayneliner and on the MIID website.

Volunteers were sought with experience in legal matters, Worksafe BC and code requirements, firefighting operations, financial planning, project management, engineering, and community engagement.

The members of the task force represent considerable years of collective hands-on experience in the planning, design, construction and delivery of significant public and private infrastructure projects, firefighting operations and community project management.

Task Force members are:

Resigned
Ian Birtwell: Ian is a retired Community and Land use Planner with 40 years of experience as a government and private sector development manager and consultant for major building and development projects in the Lower Mainland. Ian has a record of creating and leading public development projects
Sean Skiffington has 21 years of project and construction management experience in the engineering world. His experience extends to finance, cost control and scheduling for major industrial projects.
Bill Warning, B.Sc. has 35 years of experience as an operations manager in the field of managing and operating industrial environmental laboratories. Bill’s experience includes planning, budgeting and maintenance of infrastructure.
Al Wood has worked in the construction business for 43 years. Al has had extensive experience in working with architects, engineers, project managers and sub trades. Al was site supervisor during the construction of steel service buildings at Lornex Mine (Logan Lake, BC).
Don DeRousie is a long-time resident of Mayne Island with problem solving skills developed as a lighthouse keeper with the Canadian Coast Guard. Don has practical experience in the areas of landscaping, concrete work, carpentry and teamwork.
Harry Lane has 40 years of experience in working with the Fire Department – some as a member of the Improvement District; some as Fire Chief and always as a firefighter.
Experienced fire fighters Per Nielsen and Kyle Stobart represent the Mayne Island Volunteer Firefighters Association
Jim Marlon Lambert and Aaron Somerville represent the MIID Board of Trustees.

The Task Force has been provided with the following objective by the MIID Board of Trustees:

To provide detailed recommendations to the MIID Board of Trustees for the design, costing, financing options, construction and communications regarding a new Emergency Facility. This will be a multi stage objective with the first being a review of the current design, to be completed, if possible, prior to the MIID AGM (April 17, 2010). Subsequent stages will be defined by the Task Force for acceptance by the Board.

The Task Force was formed with the expectation that it would elect one of its public members as Chair, to be independent of the Board. At its first meeting on January 30th, the Task Force elected Bill Warning as chair, with Cal Biem as deputy Chair in Bill’s absence.

Given the short timeframe, the Task Force has been meeting weekly, and has organised into four working sub-committees: Design and ongoing operations, Estimate Review, Financing, and Communications.

Background

One priority for the Task Force has been to familiarize itself with the fire service and emergency services operations and facilities, the 1994 fire service surveys, the recommendations of the 2005 Committee, a 2008 space needs assessment, consultant design reports and recommendations, 2009 referendum material, and community responses.

The Task Force provide the following summary information gleaned from its review:

Existing fire hall facilities

The existing fire hall building was constructed in the 1968.
Since then the amount of developed property and island population has increased substantially.
In 1994, in an assessment of the Mayne Island Fire Protection Service, the Provincial Fire Commissioner recommended that the building be upgraded to meet seismic stability standards, and much of the workspace re-organized.
Over the intervening years, there have been alterations and additions to accommodate new equipment and fire and rescue equipment and capacity, and to address the conclusions reached by the Fire Commissioner.
Over the past two decades there has been substantial changes in the National Building Code, especially the seismic requirements, and in WorkSafe BC standards for workplace safety.
The existing fire hall building is seriously deficient regarding meeting seismic stability for buildings that are required to remain operational after a major earthquake event.
The existing fire hall building does not comply with WorkSafe BC standards for working space beside equipment, ventilation, separation of post-fire contaminated firefighting equipment, and height and dimensions of equipment bays.
The existing building cannot house the full complement of existing fire truck equipment, consequently equipment stored outside is at risk from weather, freezing and vandalism, and is therefore technically “non-operative” regarding certification for protection service from an insurance perspective.
The current equipment bays can barely accommodate equipment. With tender #1, a hose lock must be turned horizontal to enable the tender to be backed under the doors.

2001-2009 fire hall planning activity

Many of the recommendations of the 1995 Fire Commissioner’s assessment have been implemented over the intervening years, with the exception of seismic upgrading.
Consultations with structural consultants (2001 and 2005) concluded that the building would not survive even a moderate earthquake event.
The Board concluded in 2005 that upgrading the building to meet the then current (and much lower than present) seismic standards would be prohibitively expensive, and would also reduce equipment capacity and severely compromise firefighting and rescue operations.
Many of the WorkSafe BC issues have been addressed but only on a temporary approval basis, on the understanding that a replacement fire hall is under active discussion.

In 2005, an ad hoc Committee comprised of Board members, Firefighters, Emergency Services Coordinator and community representatives prepared a detailed report regarding the Mayne Island Fire and Rescue Service operations, and particularly the facilities.

Their October 2005 report reviewed operations, functionality of the buildings, an emerging long range plan for equipment and personnel, coordination of firefighting, rescue and other emergency preparedness operations. The Committee provided in some considerable detail design and space requirements for a new fire hall and related facilities.

Building on the 2005 Committee recommendations, MIID began a process of bringing forward a concept plan for a new fire hall and emergency operations centre, for ultimate funding approval by the community.

Consultants with expertise in fire hall operations and design worked closely with Trustees and the Fire Chief to determine the operational requirements for the foreseeable future, using a twenty year projection of community development and anticipated fire protection and rescue demand.
Also factored in were emerging requirements for wildfire disaster planning, with experience gained from the recent Kelowna and Galiano wildfires.
A conceptual design for a new fire hall and emergency operations centre was prepared.
These concept plans were costed out on an order of magnitude basis (early stage design, general square foot pricing, with factored allowances, and contingencies, giving a plus/minus 30% accuracy range).

The concept plans, which were the basis of the cancelled September 2009 referendum initiative, represented a long-term community investment in infrastructure that would maximize firefighter, first responder, rescuer and emergency operations response and effectiveness and would provide Mayne Island fire-fighters and emergency preparedness co-ordinators with a safe and efficient workplace.

MOVING AHEAD, RECOMMENDATIONS

Note, these recommendations are a work in progress, and may not necessarily reflect the final recommendations from the Task Force to the MIID Board of Trustees.

The Task Force has reviewed the current (2009) design proposals and consultants reports.

The Task Force has come to some preliminary conclusions and is recommending:

that the siting of the new fire hall be south of the existing fire hall, such that the existing fire hall can continue full operations during the construction period.
that the proposed emergency operations facilities be reduced in scope to conform with emerging CRD emergency operations procedures (requiring less on island co-ordination requirements);
that the emergency operations centre and ancillary MIID office facilities be housed in a second storey above the fire hall (above the area not dedicated to fire tender and firefighting vehicle parking).
that from a building efficiency and construction cost perspective the design should include bare unallocated second storey space suitable for accommodating ancillary revenue generating functions such as the requested RCMP office space, and as appropriate, space for future emerging needs.
that the proposed fire hall facilities (ready room, facility separation for contaminants, ventilation, equipment housing and servicing facilities, office and meeting spaces, washrooms and ancillary accommodations are adequate and required.
that given the existing state of the fire hall facilities, particularly with respect to acute deficiencies in meeting seismic standards, that time is of the essence, and that the project be moved forward in a timely manner.
that the Board allocate funds from existing reserves and authorize the project to proceed to the next levels of design and costing.
that the Board continue with the existing professional design team and project managers in order to provide continuity and design cost efficiencies.
that the next generation design, costing, and financing proposals be brought forward as soon as possible for community evaluation and input preparatory to any referendum for approval to proceed.

Emerging recommendations and actions.

The Task Force sub committees are continuing with their analysis and planning.

Some of the emerging observations and recommendations are:

that the Fire Chief in consultation with consultants and the Task Force develop an operations plan for fitting out the new fire hall and transferring equipment such that ongoing operations are maintained throughout with minimal disruption.
that the site conditions preparatory work such as excavation preparation, water tank relocation, wells, septic, demolition, be handled locally and directly by the Board.
that where practicable, the engagement of qualified local resources be encouraged when determining construction contracting.
that sustainable and energy efficiency practices be considered, particularly in anticipation of future cost sharing and granting requirements.

Ongoing and future work plans

If the Board of Trustees act on the recommendation to move the project to the next level of design and costing, the Task Force will engage with the consultants to develop design plans, and to generate more accurate cost estimates.

At some later stage, with revised cost estimates in hand, the Task Force will be reviewing financing options, and the previously proposed blended taxation formulae.

e-mail the Task Force with your questions, comments or suggestions

The Task Force may be contacted at esctfc-miid@shaw.ca

or e-mail the improvement district

For additional information see About page.