Pomona Council subcommittee recommends cancelling land purchase

A proposal to close two fire stations in Pomona and build a new one along North Garey Avenue could come to a stop tonight (Monday, June 7).

 

The Pomona City Council's budget subcommittee has directed city administrators to put an item on Monday night's council agenda calling for the cancelation of escrow on a property sought for a new fire station, according to a city staff report.

 

City Council members will consider the subcommittee's recommendation Monday.

 

Last month, two community meetings were conducted at City Hall where City Manager Linda Lowry and Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman spoke. 

 

At the meetings a proposal was presented calling for the closure of two fire stations -- Station 182 at 1059 N. White Ave. and Station 186 at 280 E. Bonita Ave. -- and replacing them with one centrally located station to be built on Garey Avenue south of

La Verne Avenue.

 

With such a reconfiguration of stations, fire service costs could be reduced by $1.6 million to $1.7 million annually, according to fire department estimates.

 

Members of the public expressed opposition to the proposal.

 

Some expressed concerns related to response times while others were concerned about the costs associated with the construction of the new station, estimated to be around $7 million.

 

Should the city terminate escrow before July 27 it will not have to pay the property owner of the Garey Avenue site a $15,000 holding fee, the staff report said. 

 

The City Council will meet in closed session at 5:30 p.m. and go into the open portion of the meeting at 6:45 p.m. in City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.