Roswell could award more than $15.6 million in construction contracts for two new fire stations when a council committee meets Tuesday, Sept. 15.
City staff recommends hiring Spratlin Construction to build Fire Station #27 on Fouts Road, south of Holcomb Bridge Road, under a lump-sum contract capped at $8,475,514. A second contract would go to the same firm for Fire Station #23 at the southwest corner of Bowen Road and Hwy 92. That Construction Manager at Risk agreement is capped at $7,148,320, according to the council agenda packet.
Total project budgets, including design and other costs, reach $17 million combined. Both projects draw from the $179.6 million bond package Roswell voters approved in November 2022.
Why the stations are moving
Station #27 is being relocated from its current spot on Holcomb Bridge Road near the Gwinnett County line. The city's 2024 Fire Response Analysis found that location produces some of the longest response times in Roswell, according to a city project page. The new Fouts Road site sits on city-owned land, eliminating the need to buy property.
Station #23 is moving to the Bowen Road and Hwy 92 intersection. The agenda packet says both sites were selected to improve response times across the city.
How Spratlin was chosen
The city issued a request for proposals July 15 and advertised it on the Georgia Procurement Registry. Five firms submitted bids by Aug. 25. An evaluation committee of three city employees from the fire department and the Environmental and Public Works Department scored proposals on seven weighted categories. Scores ranged from 69 to 97 out of 100. Spratlin Construction earned the top score.
Brian Watson, director of Environmental and Public Works, is presenting both items to the committee. Julie Barnwell, deputy finance director for strategic procurement, signed the procurement memo Sept. 10.
What's inside
Both stations will include an alert system that reduces sleep disruptions for on-duty firefighters and a dedicated training area. Station #27 will be roughly 10,500 square feet. Station #23's design will mirror Station #27 with minor changes, with Hussey Gay Bell serving as architect.
The Roswell Fire Department, led by Fire Chief Pabel Troche, operates seven stations and responds to more than 10,000 calls a year.
In a Feb. 24 city announcement endorsing the Fouts Road site, Mayor Mary Robichaux said she had reviewed "the data, the financial implications, and the operational needs of our Fire Department" and concluded that "moving forward at the selected site is the responsible path."
The Committees of Council meeting begins at 5 p.m. in City Hall Room 220. If the committee approves the contracts, they advance to the full Mayor and Council for a final vote.
