From left: Commissioner C. Lee Bennett, Commissioner Jeffrey Siegel, Commission Chair Albert Masciadrelli, and Fire Chief Patrick Egloff. (Photo by Peter Currier)
WESTFIELD- The Fire Department is considering its options for dealing with the existing facility of Sackett Street, which fire officials have described as “falling apart.”
During the Jan. 13 Fire Commission meeting at Little River Fire Station, the Commission and Fire Chief Patrick Egloff discussed a few options for what to do with what used to be the fire department’s mechanic shop on Sackett Street. The mechanic shop for the department is now on Western Avenue.
The Sackett Street facility is currently used as a storage area. The fire department is responsible for it, but the Police Department has stored some equipment there as well. Due to the rundown nature of the building, all facilities, save for electricity, have been shut off.
Egloff said that he had spoken with Police Chief Lawrence Valliere a few days before in regards to the Sackett Street facility. The police store their pontoon boat, some ATVs and other equipment that they frequently use.
He noted that the equipment that the fire department stores in the facility is not in use anymore for the most part. He floated the idea of surplusing the equipment and the building itself. That would mean that they offer the equipment to another department in the city first. Should there be no takers, the city will auction the equipment off, which would be the responsibility of the purchasing director.
Egloff said that in his conversation with Valliere that the police chief did not wish to take over the facility. The roof, which is in a poor state and at risk of falling, may cost upwards of $100,000 to repair.
“I think it’s in the best interest of the fire department and the citizens of Westfield to surplus the building,” said Egloff.
