Though construction of the new Ironton Fire Station may require a few minor changes, it is on schedule, and the department will soon have some new equipment as well.

On Thursday, Ironton City Council heard first readings Thursday of ordinances authorizing two change orders for the construction project - a $1,886 change with general contractors Portco Inc. to modify the cabinets and counters and a $3,397 change with BB&E for shower and plumbing changes.

The original plans were submitted to the state and tentatively approved before the project was put to bid. During the bidding process, the city was notified that the plans required changes in the living quarters to meet requirements set by the Americans Disabilities Act, City Engineer Philip Biggs said.

Sufficient funds for both changes were accounted for in the budget because Council knew these would be necessary, Biggs said.

It may have cost more to delay the bidding process so the administration decided to move forward and make the changes later. This will not delay the project at all, he said.

"The contractors have already accommodated for these changes in the plans and it is not an emergency that has to be paid immediately," he said. "There is plenty of time for them to go through the three reading processes."

Another change order of $27,000 for debris removal has been referred to the city's attorneys to determine liability. Former City Engineer Joe McCallister told Biggs that there was a verbal agreement with the contractors and the architectural firm Cole + Russell that this change was not expected to exceed $8,000.

Overall, the project is on schedule and the department will hopefully be in the new station by December, Fire Chief Tom Runyon said.

"The construction is going pretty well and is starting to pick up pace," he said. "I am sure if they get some dry weather it would help."

Council also authorized Mayor Bob Cleary to award bids for a computer system, four air packs, four extra air tanks and a thermal imaging camera. Funds come from the $82,000 Fire Act Grant that was awarded in 2002.

Action Training Systems of Poulsbo, W. Va., was awarded a $12,000 contract for the computer integrated training system that will be used to train personnel and track their training hours.

Dill's Fire Equipment was awarded a contract of $13,480 for four air packs, $3,200 for four extra tanks, $3,000 for radio interfaces for the air packs and $14,850 for a thermal imaging camera with a remote monitor that will allow the department to monitor the location of men inside a structure and locate potential problems.