Graton Fire Department to sell old firehouse site?

Anybody have more information about this? Bill Bullard, are you there?
Barry


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Graton stunned by sudden fire district move
https://sebastopol.towns.pressdemocrat.com/2012/02/news/graton-stunned-by-sudden-fire-district-move/
Saturday, February 18th, 2012 | Posted by Andrea Granahan

Much to the surprise of most of the residents of Graton, the Graton Fire Department called a special meeting for Tuesday, February 21 at 5 p.m. to consider a private bid for the old Graton firehouse site. There has been a broad community movement to buy the site and create a park for the town and the West County Trail, a popular bicycle and hiking path.

HoLlynn D’Lil a Graton community activist, said the Graton Green Group, the non-profit seeking to build the park, had submitted a bid in December but have had no reply. The group has heard nothing about the new commercial bid the board received, and the fire board put the property on the market a week before it had announced it would at the the last official meeting.

“At the Board meeting last Tuesday we were told that the Board wants to pay down their $3 million debt on the new firehouse as their mortgage payments are $200K per year. However, we have since learned that paying down their debt does not lessen their mortgage payments. It will instead shorten the time on their 30-year payout. Bill Bullard suggests that they will probably want to pay of a loan for a December 2010 purchase of a “wildland engine” for $300,000,” said D’Lil.

She went on to say, “We are quite confident that the majority of the community supports a park at that site, as we have received pledges totaling $75,000 toward the park land purchase, by only soliciting those on our email list of about 100 households.”

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Former Graton Fire site still up for grabs: No decision made at Tuesday's special meeting
https://www.sonomawest.com/sonoma_we...4.html?cbst=86

by Laura McCutcheon Sonoma West Staff Writer [email protected] | Posted: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 1:54 pm

At a special meeting Tuesday night, the Graton Fire Protection District board thought it would be faced with the question of whether to go with its fiscal or its community responsibility when determining which of two offers to accept on its former Ross Road firehouse site.

The board, which has two long-term debts - a new $3.5 million fire station and a $300,000 wildland engine financed in 2010 - may have considered the all cash offer of $429,000 from a West County artist who wants to turn the property into a local gallery and art studio, had he not rescinded his offer pending a review of the cleanup documents related to a gas station located on the property more than 25 years ago.

The man indicated that he needed a level of comfort that the site had passed inspection before reissuing his offer, likely spelling relief to the Graton Green Group, which in December bid on the property in hopes of creating a community park there.

The board decided to postpone its decision until it has additional offers to consider, and will be meeting with the Graton Green Group to get more details on its offer.

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PARK IT
An artist’s rendition of the proposed park at the former site
of the Graton Volunteer Fire Department. Department officials
have been entertaining offers for the property, but a local
group of volunteers want to purchase the property for public use.
(Image Provided)

The Graton Green Group, who first appeared before the fire district board in April 2008, submitted an official bid to the fire district in December, according to HolLynn D'Lil, Graton Green Group (GGG) board president, who said the GGG wants to build a community park at the Ross Road site.

The GGG asked the fire district to take its offer before hiring a realtor on the grounds it would save both the district and the taxpayers money. However, the board decided it was obligated to put it out to the public and to review all offers.

So at its December meeting the board hired Ann Harris, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker. The property was listed at $429,000 and a cash offer for that amount was received on Feb. 15, from the West County artist.

In its offer, the GGG proposed leasing the property for five years and at the end of the five years, pay the district the balance.

As an incentive, the GGG offered the district 3 percent interest over that five-year period, D'Lil said. The offer would equate to the fire district receiving a total of $22,000 per year from the community for the next five years for a total of $110,000. That includes payment toward the purchase price of $340,000 and $10,000 per year in interest, according to D'Lil, who said if the GGG can't make the payments or come up with the amount due at the end of the five years, the district would still be $110,000 richer and get the improved land back to sell.

D'Lil said the GGG also raised pledges from the community for monthly and yearly donations that total over $60,000 a year, for the next five years, in an attempt to reassure the district the community could handle the fiscal responsibility.

"Our position is the difference in the two offers is really insignificant to them. In the long run they will always need equipment; they will always be taking out loans to purchase equipment, because that is what they do. However, it will make a permanent difference to the community, because we will lose forever this site that has been in the public good for decades," D'Lil said prior to the board meeting.

"This is about community. For instance, we will hold fundraising events for the fire house at the new park site; we are all in this together, so we are just hoping to appeal to them as their guiding principle that they should make a decision based upon what is best for the community, not just how much money they can get and how quickly they can get it," D'Lil said.

The GGG thinks the .41 acre-park can be developed for $800,000 with volunteer labor and donations, she said and many people have already stepped forward to help plant trees and so forth.

Plans for the park include taking the firehouse building and turning the north three bays into an open pavilion. The rest of it would be park benches, picnic tables, paths and trees. Outside the south side of the building would be a sculpture garden, which would be adjacent to a wide pathway connecting to the bike trail. Instead of having an isolated playground, multigenerational and multi-ability play features would be placed throughout the park. Bike racks, drinking fountains and restrooms would also be provided. And, all of these features would be designed and executed by local artists, D'Lil said.

"We desperately need a free place to meet in the community. We don't have any place for us to get together as a community unless we block off the street," she said.

"As a taxpayer I appreciate the desire to want to pay down the debt of the district; as a dad, I can appreciate the desire to have a park for kids and families," Bill Bullard, Graton Fire Department Deputy Chief and member of the GGG said prior to the board meeting, when asked whether he thought the board would rather take a cash offer in lieu of the park, which was attached to a five-year lease option.

Hi Barry and WACCOBB Community,

I am happy to answers any questions about the sale of the original station; however, I am not part of the decision process... that is up to the five elected Board Directors.

This Press Democrat headline is slightly off-base as it implies that it was a surprise. Everyone is aware that the Board decided that it needed to put the property up for sale in December, allowing anyone who is interested an opporunity to buy it. On December 13th, 2011, the Board hired Ann Harris at Coldwell Banker after reviewing possible agents. This was the same meeting when the Graton Green Group presented its offer as well. There was a subsequent Press Democrat article that stated as such. The property was publicly listed about two weeks ago, almost 2 months after the agent was hired. To say, "someone was stunned" by an second offer is slightly dramatic.

The Board met on 2/21 to review the two offers; however, the second offer was withdrawn until he could fully review all of the cleanup documentation. Instead, the Board heard from 35-40 of the Graton community about the park offer. The outcome of this meeting was for the Graton Green Group to meet with the Board and allow the Directors to discuss their concerns.

It is a tough decision for the Board Directors and I don't envy them. On the one hand, the Board has a great opportunity to support improving downtown Graton. On the other hand, they have an opportunity to pay down the $3.5M long-term debt associated with the new fire station. The Park offer is $340,000 and asks the Board to carry the loan through a lease-purchase option for up to five years. Its payments will come through 70 individuals who have made pledges. The second offer was $429,000 all cash. The second offer is certainly better from a financial point of view, but there is more to the decision than that. What option best serves the 7,000+ residents who pay taxes to the Graton Fire Protection District? The five Board Directors need to represent the taxpayers and what they would want done with their money.

If I can help answer any questions, please don't hesitate to email me publicly or privately.

Thanks,

Bill Bullard
Deputy Fire Chief
Graton Fire Protection District
[email protected]

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Posted in reply to the post by Barry:

Anybody have more information about this? Bill Bullard, are you there?
Barry


https://www.pressdemocrat.com/images/logo2.gif
Graton stunned by sudden fire district move
https://sebastopol.towns.pressdemocrat.com/2012/02/news/graton-stunned-by-sudden-fire-district-move/
Saturday, February 18th, 2012 | Posted by Andrea Granahan

Much to the surprise of most of the residents of Graton, the Graton Fire Department called a special meeting for Tuesday, February 21 at 5 p.m. to consider a private bid for the old Graton firehouse site. There has been a broad community movement to buy the site and create a park for the town and the West County Trail, a popular bicycle and hiking path.

HoLlynn D’Lil a Graton community activist, said the Graton Green Group, the non-profit seeking to build the park, had submitted a bid in December but have had no reply. The group has heard nothing about the new commercial bid the board received, and the fire board put the property on the market a week before it had announced it would at the the last official meeting.

“At the Board meeting last Tuesday we were told that the Board wants to pay down their $3 million debt on the new firehouse as their mortgage payments are $200K per year. However, we have since learned that paying down their debt does not lessen their mortgage payments. It will instead shorten the time on their 30-year payout. Bill Bullard suggests that they will probably want to pay of a loan for a December 2010 purchase of a “wildland engine” for $300,000,” said D’Lil.

She went on to say, “We are quite confident that the majority of the community supports a park at that site, as we have received pledges totaling $75,000 toward the park land purchase, by only soliciting those on our email list of about 100 households.”

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