The Empire Township Board narrowed its choice to two contractors for the bid to convert the fire hall meeting room into living quarters for two fulltime firefighter/EMTs.

At a special meeting last Thursday, April 24, the board opened five bids to renovate the interior of the meeting room, update the plumbing and mechanicals, and make the space a living area for the two personnel who will be at the station as part of the soon-to-be-approved contract with Glen Arbor Township to provide fire and rescue services.

The board set aside $90,000 for the work. The bids ranged from a low of $37,275 from County Renovation, L.L.C., based out of Farmington Hills to a high of $69,280 from Salisbury & May Construction of Empire. Case Court Construction of Beulah bid $37,665; True North Builders of Empire bid $49,796; and Residential Expressions bid $53,542.

The board eliminated all but County Renovation and True North Builders for consideration of the job.

Supervisor Bill Bolton said the companies all submitted bids based on the engineered drawings for the renovation. Some details in the drawings were left out, so some changes will be needed for contractors who didn’t inspect the site before submitting the bid.

The board authorized Bolton to contact County Renovation to see if it would be willing to visit the fire hall meeting room. Bolton said the bid specifications did not include improvements to the building’s septic system. The township will pay for that work, as well as hooking into the village’s water system and some interior painting, which adds $15,000 to the cost.

The matter is expected to come before the board again at its May 13 meeting.

In other business during the two hour meeting, the board:

• Unanimously approved hiring Charles Bauman of Middleville to be the new township campground manager. Bauman is a retired teacher who has worked as a campground manager at state parks and privately owned campgrounds as well. He was one of four applicants. The position pays $1,000 a month from May through October.

• Approved a new zoning permit fee schedule. The following fees were approved:
— Land Use Permit for addition or accessory or change of use to an existing building, $25;
— Land Use Permit for new dwellings, commercial building or new uses, $50;
— Temporary Land Use Permit, $400;
— Site Plan Review, $400;
— Special Land Use Permit, $400;
— Planned Unit Development, $1,000;
— Zoning Board of Appeals Requests, $400;
— Sign Permit, $25.

The fee schedule language explains these fees are base fees and an applicant may be responsible for any fees the township deems necessary to complete it review of an application. Any unused portion of a deposit paid beyond the base fee will be returned to the applicant.