CLEWISTON — At the regular meeting of the Hendry County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Aug. 11, the board authorized staff to negotiate a contract with CPZ Architects, Inc. to make improvements to the Montura Volunteer Fire station building and infrastructure.

The Montura Fire Station serves residents in outlying, rural areas, spread out over 290 square miles. Residents in such areas need reliable emergency services. The project would allow first responders to operate at full capacity during events such as hurricanes, as well as everyday emergencies.

The station as it is currently is not rated as safe for responders to shelter during hurricanes or wind events. Hendry County has a grant agreement from the Florida Department of Commerce in the amount of $350,400 in Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation funding to renovate, retrofit, and construct wind-rated exterior man doors, impact windows, and roll up door, along with exterior metal wall panels and insulation for the Montura Volunteer Fire Station.

In April of this year, an RFQ (Request for Qualifications) was issued for design and permitting services for the Montura Volunteer Fire Station building and infrastructure improvements. It was advertised online and, in the newspaper, to reach a broader audience. Two firms submitted responses to the RFQ and they were received on May 13.

A selection committee meeting was held on Aug. 4, to review and discuss the submittals and they unanimously ranked CPZ Architects, Inc. as the number one ranked firm.

The board of county commissioners unanimously voted and authorized staff to begin negotiations with CPZ Architechts, Inc.

The fiscal impact is unknown at this time, but it is anticipated that the Florida Department of Commerce CDBG-MIT (Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation) agreement will fully fund this project.