HOLLYWOOD, Md. (August 04, 2017)—The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has approved a bid of $6.7 million for the demolition of the existing Prince Frederick Volunteer Rescue Squad and building of a new facility at the same location on Solomons Island Road. The bid was awarded to W.M. Davis, Inc. of Leonardtown.
Davis was not the low bidder. Rainbow Construction of Waldorf submitted a low bid of $6,159,000, but the bid was unanimously rejected by the board. Commissioner Vice President Evan Slaughenhoupt, Jr. noted that the Waldorf company had been a low bidder of another county reject but added costs on to the project after the bid was awarded. There was concern that with the price of the bid the same thing would happen again.
The new rescue squad facility will be two stories with five bays. It will be 22,383 square feet in size.
Monies for the new facility were included in the current fiscal year's capital budget.
At the same July 18 meeting, the commissioners also approved the purchase of new fire apparatus for the North Beach and Huntingtown volunteer fire departments. By so doing, the BOCC forgave the remaining debt on the apparatus that will be replaced. Monies from the sale of those old vehicles will be put towards the purchase price of each. The amount of the county's 20-year loan is $603,000 for each unit.
Both units replaced are Peirce Lance Engines and have been in service for more than 20 years. When the loans for those units were given, the life cycle was estimated at 25 years, which included a refurbishment at 15 years. But Coordinator of the Fire-Rescue-EMS Division James Richardson said the Calvert Fire and Rescue Commission reduced that to 20 years and removed the costly refurbishment which really didn't extend the vehicle's life.
North Beach was forgiven the $38,516 remaining on its previous loan and Huntingtown the $36,578 remainder of its loan.