Published: March 16, 2008 02:18 am            

Council passes resolution to build new fire station

It’s official: Burnside will be starting construction on a new fire station later this year.

In a special meeting of the Burnside City Council Friday evening, a single item of business was approved — a resolution stating that the city is making a commitment to building a new facility for the Burnside Fire Department on East French Ave.

This came at the request of a letter sent from Eric Henderson, Burnside Fire Chief, who noted that the Pulaski County Fire Commission has already committed $80,000 to the project, with the possibility of securing more at a later date.

The current firehouse is located behind City Hall on U.S. 27, just as one enters downtown Burnside from the north. However, plans to widen the highway going through town would take out the older building housing the office of Mayor Chuck Fourman and the council chambers.

As a result, the city had planned on building a new municipal complex of sorts on East French Ave., containing the new City Hall, the new branch library, new utility offices — and, as was specified at Friday’s meeting, the new firehouse.

The problem is this, explained Fourman: With a decision on the state level to indefinitely push back road projects on which construction had not yet begun, the threat existed that the money that had been secured would “sit there for years,” as the mayor put it.

Therefore, the Burnside Fire Department wanted to “go ahead and get it rolling,” said Fourman. “I think we’ve got the opportunity to do that.”

The idea was to get budgeting for the project included as a part of the 2007-08 fiscal year; thus, the commitment will be made now and construction on the fire station is expected to begin in July.

Fourman noted that estimated costs to build the facility would come in at around $140,000 to $150,000, and this would be feasible with the contribution of county funds, and the possibility of borrowing as much as $75,000 from the state fire commission at a three percent interest rate.

Bids for construction would likely go out in April, with the hope being to keep the cost in the aforementioned range.

While some city-owned storage units located at the spot where the firehouse would be built would have to be removed, striking a certain amount of city income, Fourman figured that deficit would be easy to make up through other means.

Fourman said he envisioned the bay doors facing the railroad tracks, so that the side facing E. French Ave. might be more attractive, using the same kind of brick and overall look that will be featured on the new library and City Hall buildings. Some boat storage units would remain behind these municipal facilities.

After councilor Brian Watson asked what might become of the current fire station, Fourman added that he had some ideas he would put forth at a later date “that may be beneficial to the city.”

All the councilors present approved the resolution — councilor David Brummett called it a “wonderful opportunity.” Council member Jim Rasnick was not present at the meeting.

        

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