COUNTY COMMISSION
Rural Fire District No. 2, in the person of Travis Baughn, came to Allen County commissioners Tuesday morning with hat in hand.
The volunteers, who have answered calls in rural areas north of Iola for decades, have reached agreement on an acre of land that would be, in everyones estimation, a terrific site for a fire station. The parcel is at the northeast corner of North State Street and Oregon Road, a stones throw beyond Iolas city limit.
The holdup is accumulating about $175,000 to pay for construction of the a building to store trucks, equipment and other necessities.
The district has $39,000 on hand, after purchasing a pumper truck, and collects about $29,000 a year from a five-mill levy assessed against property it protects. Another $500 a month will be saved on rent paid for several years for indoor space at the storage facility west of town.
Baughn touted the advantages of the site: At the intersection of two thoroughfares, nearer to where volunteers are called when a fire breaks out and spacious enough to give them a leg up for storage and training.
The proposed structure has been on the volunteers radar for some time and was mentioned to commissioners previously.
Commissioners Jerry Daniels and Tom Williams were receptive, to a point. John Broucher excused himself from discussion, he being a member of the volunteer force.
In addition to the $39,000 on hand, the district collects a touch over $29,000 a year from its levy. Some of that accumulation might be used to pay for a portion of the new station, but volunteers also have ongoing costs for equipment, repairs, fuel and other items to keep trucks and firefighting devices ready to roll.
Im open to helping, Daniels said, but suggested more bids Baughn carried two proposals would be helpful. Are there other funding mechanisms, he asked.
Baughn said grants were difficult at the time, in part because those living where volunteers mean to ply their expertise are better off financially than grant guidelines dictate.
There might be something we can do, including in-kind services of county forces to clear the site and otherwise help out, Williams said. But, he also cautioned that the six volunteer fire departments in the county might operate at a more economic level if they were to pool resources and be more intertwined.
County Counselor Alan Weber pointed out chiefs of the volunteer department met in February to discuss much of what William alluded to, and were to meet again tonight.
That found favor with Williams, who said he had grave concerns about overlap of equipment available within individual departments.
Commissioners dispatched Baughn with Daniels promise, We will be of some help.
IN OTHER NEWS, commissioners:
