BREITUNG TOWNSHIP — More community input will be sought after the Breitung board and the township’s fire chiefs had a special roundtable meeting Monday to discuss potential future projects, including options for the Department of Public Works building in Quinnesec and possibly combining two of the three fire stations.

The meeting at the North Breitung Township Fire Station on M-95 drew several members of the fire department and a sizable number of citizens who wanted to weigh in on the topics.

“I am glad that people showed up tonight,” Supervisor Denny Olson said. “We as the board have been holding meetings on capital improvements and where we are going as a township, what is needed the most and how we can get the biggest bang for our buck.”

Olson said the list of possible projects included drilling the township’s own wells in East Kingsford and bringing water lines as far as the Breitung Cutoff Road in Quinnesec.

But much of the meeting centered on the Public Works building in Quinnesec, which Olson said the township has outgrown. One solution to create more space would be to establish a new fire station at the Breitung Cutoff Road that would combine Quinnesec and East Kingsford staff. The old stations would be turned over to public works.

A community center could be part of a new fire station building as well, rather than expanding the township hall in Quinnesec.

While combining the two fire stations could be beneficial, Assistant Fire Chief Scott Marshall said he had some concerns, especially if it slowed response times. That could mean higher insurance rates for homeowners, he said.

“It has to be done and built right. The only way to really make it work would be to man it (full-time),” Marshall said.

Assistant Fire Chief Richard Lindow agreed the combined fire stations could work if properly staffed. But properly equipping the fire department was a more pressing need, he said.

“Right now it is working — three stations are working for us,” Lindow said. “However, we have got two engines that are nearing the end of their lives.”

Fire Chief Jim Rose said he faced the same questions about the stations four years ago, when the board had different members, and what he recommended then still holds true: Hire a consulting company to study the practicality and potential costs involved with combining two fire stations.

Rose shared his assistant’s concerns over equipment. “We have talked about a new engine for three or four years, but we have not gone anywhere with it,” he said. “A new pumper is $700,000 right now and we are talking about over the next number of years buying three of those.”

The fire department will soon be asking for the money, Rose said, and while that need may ease a bit by combining stations the department will always have vehicles that need replacing.

During public comment, Jeff Iverson said a study done 40 years ago came up with the three fire halls and he would be disappointed to see that change.

Joe Moraska urged the board to not only consider a long-term plan but keep in mind the need for equipment right now.

Residents were concerned as well where the money would come from and what a new station might do to the township’s millage rates.

But Olson said Breitung Township has been frugal with funds and saved money over the years, so shouldn’t need to raise the millage.

Township Superintendent Steve Mulka said the township also is pursuing grants, adding the project probably won’t be possible without them. He pointed out that St. Ignace built a fire station three years ago that is similar to what the township would need, at a price of $2.7 million.

The township board is traditionally tight with taxpayers’ money and wouldn’t spend it frivolously, Trustee Ben Peterson said.

“We are trying to get grants — we are not planning on raising taxes for this kind of stuff, that has not even been discussed as far as this is concerned,” Peterson said.

The discussion closed with Trustee Sharon Reuter calling for more meetings and more public input, including sending out a survey to residents. Trustee Brent Johnson urged residents to attend more board meetings to be part of the process.