Clanton’s third fire station will cost $1.607 million, which is more than estimated.

The council awarded the station’s bid to Clements Dean Building Company during Monday’s meeting.

The price tag is higher than the roughly $1.25 million budgeted for the station.

The $300,000 difference will be taken from next year’s budget unless the city ends 2012 with a surplus, Mayor Billy Joe Driver said.

Clements Dean, which is based in Wilsonville, had the low bid to build the station, plus three additional add-ons. Those included sod/landscaping, cabinets and lockers for the men’s dorm room and a drafting pit, a big tank used to service pumps.

The station will be built near the Peach Water Tower at Exit 212 on Interstate 65.

The city’s other two stations are in downtown and on U.S. 31 next to Alabama Power Company’s building in south Clanton. Station No. 2 was built in 2006 and cost $1.45 million.

Fire Chief David Driver said the north station would serve Interstate 65 and Alabama 145 as well as areas toward Lomax.

Work could begin on Station No. 3 in as soon as two weeks.

In other business, the council took the following actions:

•Approved taking applications for the Clanton Fire Department to replace three members who either resigned or left the department.

•Approved participating in severe weather tax holiday that will take place July 6-8.