Share this story | More Date of Issue: July 1, 2009 Totems selected for WMFRD study In a special meeting July 26, the West Manatee Fire Rescue District board of directors awarded Totems Architect, Planning and Design of Sarasota a $75,485 contract to conduct a study of district facility needs and design new facilities for the district. The company was one of four short-listed by the WMFR facilities committee and presented to the board and the committee’s No. 1 recommendation. WMFR wants to consolidate all its administrative services at one fire station, while at the same time enlarging its present stations to meet the requirements of personnel, including firefighters and EMS technicians. In other business, the board approved a resolution to maintain $250,000 in matching funds for WMFR’s application to the federal government for stimulus money to build any new facilities or remodel current buildings that the Totem study might recommend. WMFR Chief Andy Price said the matching money will make the WMFR application that much stronger. “The government likes to see matching money,” he told the board. While the federal government has announced that $225 million will be available in stimulus money for construction of fire stations and accompanying facilities, application guidelines and deadlines have yet to be announced.