North Stonington — An updated, scaled-down floor plan for the stalled Center for Emergency Services was received and approved by the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday night.

The step is the first in the process to reissue bids for the stalled building, after voters rejected an additional $2.25 million to fund a larger design.

The new 13,538-square-foot building would house four apparatus bays, though it later could be expanded with a fifth.

The radio room has been combined with a day-room, and an office, copy room and mechanical workshop were eliminated.

"We have gone down to bare bones," said North Stonington Volunteer Fire Company Chief Charles Steinhart V.

He added that the design will not necessarily meet the needs of the town in the future.

"Originally we thought this was going to be a 30- to 50-year building; with no expansions, that's not necessarily true anymore ... it's much smaller. It's addressing the current needs and not the future needs for expansion," he said.

Gear lockers, which originally had been placed against along the back wall of an apparatus bay, were moved between the bays and the office and administration section of the building to save space. Some will be portable.

Fire company member Bob Shabunia said the thought process for this change was that firefighters likely would be walking by those lockers going to equipment bays anyway, and it would allow them to more easily expand in the future.

In order to create additional meeting space, beds in one of the bunk rooms will be storable Murphy beds, allowing it to serve as a multi-function room.

Appliances in the kitchen have been downgraded to residential style.

What will be done with the existing Fire Company and Ambulance Association buildings remains in question.

Both buildings are deed-restricted and would have to be used for the public benefit, if they remain.

First Selectman Shawn Murphy noted that he did not want to see town money spent on the buildings after the new one is constructed.

n.lynch@theday.com