Banze Construction was awarded the bid, for $335,450, at the fire board’s Dec. 28 meeting. The fire board also approved spending up to $15,000 for furnishings and appliances for the headquarters once construction is complete. As part of the bid package approved, a sprinkler system, fire alarm system and work to allow a generator to be installed in the future will be part of the project. The mold problem forced a portion of Station 1, located at 396 N.W. 2nd St., to be closed since April. While the project is ongoing, the district will continue operating out of a temporary location at 275 W.N. Service Road, Suite L, next to the Ruiz-Castillo Mexican Restaurant. The district received seven bids overall, with LayneCo Construction having the second-lowest figure at $343,976. Other bids were from A.R.C. Grading LLC, $375,315, Cannon Construction $418,817, Lawlor Corporation $427,215, Lamb Construction $451,800 and Blanton Construction $468,113. Fire Chief Ron MacKnight said he doesn’t expect work to begin until next month, as the district first needs to hire a company to remediate the mold. That approval is expected to be made at Thursday’s fire board meeting. MacKnight said the fire board also would be signing the contract this week and then a preconstruction meeting will be scheduled. Banze Construction will have 150 days to finish the project. A 40-by-47-foot addition will be constructed to the east of the current structure, providing space for a bunk room, restroom, kitchen, dayroom and fitness room. One of the features will be moving the bunk room as far away from the railroad tracks as possible. In the former setup, the bunk room was located on the south end of the firehouse. The renovation to the existing portion will include building a reception area, report room and training room. A kitchen, new bathroom and storage area also are included in the design plan, while the front door will be relocated to face 2nd Street. The mold became noticeable in 2009 when carpet was replaced and spots were found on ceiling tiles. District officials said the building had been prone to water leaks over the years. The district’s insurance provider wouldn’t pay for the damages since it was not caused by storm damage and the claim hadn’t been submitted much earlier. A test, conducted Feb. 15, 2010, by O’Fallon-based ABH Solutions, confirmed the mold presence. According to the report, a moderate amount of aspergillus/penicillium and a light amount of cladosporium was found in the bunk area. In the chief’s office, a moderate amount of stachybotrys and a small amount of aspergillus/penicillium were located. A third sample, taken in the bay area, had a moderate amount of cladosporium. The mold never led to any health issues, but the relocation of the firefighters was made because of the lack of bunk space once the sleeping area in Station 1 was torn up. The affected areas were sealed off to employees upon the discovery.