Politics & Government

Future of Fire House Linked to Financial Shortfalls

Port Washington Common Council approves moving forward with the attempted sale of historic fire engine building, while leaving room for negotiations with interested buyers and the historical society.

When it comes down to it, nobody has enough money.

The Port Washington Historical Society has , but it does not have the $250,000 the city says it needs from the sale to fill a hole in the budget — a hole generated by the .

Interested buyers of the building are also coming up short, scared off by costly repairs needed to sustain the fire house's historical value and other general maintenance costs — .

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Though the historical society presented a plan to fund the needed repairs and maintenance of the building — along with a petition against the sale with about 700 residents' signatures — the Common Council on Tuesday night voted to list the property with a commercial realtor if nothing comes of negotiations with already interested parties. The historical society is among those interested parties.

The vote passed 5-2, with Ald. Burt Babcock, of the 4th District, and Ald. Jim Vollmar, from the 3rd District, against.

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Port Washington Mayor Scott Huebner pointed to the fact that the sale of the fire engine house was included in, and approved by, aldermen when the city's budget was approved in November.

Huebner said not selling the building, and essentially leaving the city with a $250,000 hole, would damage the quality of life for Port's residents.

"One of the commitments we made to this community is to the seniors," he said. "Since we can't raise taxes (under Gov. Scott Walker's budget plan), we then would have to take away something from the quality of life we already approved."

But Mark Eernisse, currently a co-chair and formerly the president of the historical society, said the committment to quality of life goes beyond the seniors.

"Quality of life is also preserving the history (for younger generations)," he said. "The fire engine house museum will be quality of life for the people in this community ... you talk about the business downtown, the tourism — this will attract tourism."

The society's plan calls for a $1-per-year lease from the city, and eventually involves a full-time director to run the future museum.

The society said it is ready to provide funds for a number of initial expenses, including:

  • $9,500 to replace a boiler;
  • $5,000 to repair and repaint roof edges;
  • Repaint the windows;
  • $1,000 to regrade the northwest corner of the lot to alleviate a water leak into the stairway;
  • $7,500 to pay for yearly utility expenses.

The society also plans continued fundraisers and would hope to acquire a number of historical grants to pay for the upkeep of the museum and the building — something its members said they proved they can do with the .

The historical society has invested more than $280,000 into the light station to restore the building and run the museum and pays a $1-per-year lease to the city for the building; the city has not been responsible for funding any of the upkeep.

"I think we should become proactive in working with the historical society to work out a win-win situation," Babcock said.

Port resident Nancy Haacke, a member of the historical society who is involved with the petition to save the fire engine house, said the desire exists community-wide to preserve historic Port Washington.

"Going door-to-door in the hot weather, it was hard but, I have to say, it was one of the most positive experiences that I have had," Haacke said. "Out of 10 houses that I would go to, nine of them would sign my petition. ... When they see a picture of (the fire house), or remember it, some were not aware (it was for sale) — they said to me, 'You have to be kidding, that is going to be given away?'"

But if the city did sell the building, it would come with a stipulation that its historical characteristics would have to be maintained under what is called a Historic Conservation Easement, the details of which the council has yet to approve.

Ald. Michael Ehrlich, of the 1st District, asked the society why it still felt so passionately about maintaining city ownership of this building even though the historical value would have to be preserved.

"This is such a gem, and certainly is number one on (the society's) list (for a permanent home)," Eernisse said.

Numerous members of the historical society referred to the building as a "gem," on Tuesday night, and some aldermen hinted at similar feelings.

"While many of us may be with (the society) in spirit, we have a huge budget problem," said Ald. Joe Dean, of the 5th District.

"I'm kind of disappointed that we're selling a capital asset to (fill a budget hole)," Vollmar said. Vollmar said he also voted against continuing with the sale because the council has yet to set in stone a list price for the building; originally appraised at $600,000, the city was looking at making about $250,000 from the sale.

The Port Washington Common Council meets again at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 16, at which time it will likely offer an update about negotiations with previously interested buyers and the continued attempts to sell the historic fire engine house.


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