After years of debate and failed referendums, Brevort Township is on the verge ofgetting a new fire hall, and the township voted unanimously Thursday, October 9, to accept the low bid of $298,000 to build it. Construction is scheduled to begin this week.

The building will be paid for with money the township has on hand. To be built on Church Street in Moran on vacant land across from Brevort Township Hall, the 60-foot by 60-foot, bare-bones cement-block structure will house two firetrucks and a pickup for emergency medical technicians, said Brevort Township Supervisor Edward Serwach. It also will contain a classroom and house the township's antique parade truck, a 1949 Chevrolet pumper.

Firetrucks now are stored in the Township Hall, a converted school that is dilapidated and leaking. The building is used for little else, and township officials work out of their homes.

The new building's architect is Susan Edwards of R.S. Scott Associates of St. Ignace. Brian Olsen, also of R.S. Scott, is project manager.

Contractor will be Whiskey River Construction of Rudyard. Owner Mike Ross said Friday, October 10, he expects papers confirming his winning bid this week.

Construction, he said, will take about four months, spilling over into spring for painting and landscaping.

The building will be heated by propane unit heaters and lighted by high frequency fluorescent lights.

Previous versions of the fire hall design, proposed three times over the years, cost nearly $1 million and millage requests to build the hall were rejected by voters.