Nearly $7.1 Million for 5 Maine Municipal and Public Safety Projects Secured by Senator Collins

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, announced today that she successfully secured $7,100,000 for five Maine public safety buildings and municipal complexes in the Fiscal Year 2022 government funding package. 

The omnibus funding package passed the House and the Senate and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

“As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I have long championed investments that benefit Maine’s communities and families,” said Senator Collins.  “This funding will replace aging public safety buildings and municipal complexes that are at risk of structural failure and not well suited to house modern equipment.  I heard from local officials about how these projects will enhance the wellbeing of Mainers and improve the delivery of town services across five counties.”

Details on the Maine projects Senator Collins requested are below:

Corinna Fire Department Fire Station

Amount: $1,725,000

Purpose: To relocate the Fire Department to a larger, town-owned building that is better suited to meet the town and surrounding communities’ emergency and safety needs. The current building is small, crowded, and in need of repair. The Fire Department serves the towns of Corinna and Exeter, which are two rural communities, and has mutual aid agreements with six surrounding towns.

Town of Machiasport Public Works Project

Amount: $1,125,000

Purpose: To replace a public works facility in Machiasport, to store and maintain critical town public works equipment. The new site will be located close to the Municipal Complex, which will improve collaboration with other town services.

Naval Support Activity Cutler Firehouse

Amount: $2,500,000

Project Purpose: To provide initial planning and design funding for the Navy to begin planning for a replacement fire station at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Cutler. The current station is approximately 70 years old and is having difficulty meeting its mission requirements in its current condition and location, which is over 20 minutes away from the transmitter site. The federal fire department also provides mutual aid to local communities – the nearest on-call department is 53 miles away and the nearest full-time department is 75 miles away. The Navy has assessed that the cost to replace the station will be less than renovating and adding to the existing station over a 25-year period.

Rumford Fire Station Recipient

Amount: $1,000,000

Purpose: To support the building of a new Fire Station to replace the Central Fire Station built in 1923, which is structurally compromised and at increasing risk of total collapse. The current facility does not allow for modern equipment to fit inside and has significant damage to the concrete floor, foundation, and load-bearing walls.

Washburn Public Safety Building

Amount: $750,000

Purpose: To support construction of a new Public Safety building to house the Fire and Police Departments in the Town of Washburn. The current building is more than 100 years old and is inadequate to house critical town safety equipment. The current Police Department consists of three full-time officers sharing one small office in the building, which also houses the Town Office and is not adequate for any of these uses.

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