Wednesday, December 13, 2000
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Wednesday, December 13, 2000 |
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Smooth sailing expected for fire station projects By DAVE
HAMRICK Fayette County commissioners may be ready to approve a contract for four new fire stations when they convene tomorrow night. While impact fees for a new Fayette County Jail appear dead in the water (see related story), fees for fire services, which will be used to pay for the new stations, seem to be sailing right along. Tyrone Town Council approved a new intergovernmental agreement to allow for the impact fees Thursday night, and Woolsey's council approved it Monday. In a special called meeting, Brooks Town Council was expected to approve the matter Tuesday night, after The Citizen had gone to press. "We hope by Thursday to have all of the papers delivered to the DCA (the state Department of Community Affairs)," said County Commission Chairman Harold Bost this week. Impact fees are charged to developers to help pay the costs of new government services and facilities made necessary by growth, thus reducing the need for property tax increases. The fees for fire services would be levied only in unincorporated Fayette, plus Tyrone, Brooks and Woolsey, because Fayetteville and Peachtree City have their own fire departments. Commissioners last week delayed approval of a contract for $2.6 million to build the four fire stations until tomorrow's meeting, waiting for final approval of the fire impact fees by the three municipalities. On the commission agenda Thursday is the Department of Fire and Emergency Services' request for a contract with Holley Construction Company to build the stations. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the County Administrative Complex. Holley submitted the low bid among contractors responding to the county's request for bids, at $2.6 million. All four stations will be replacement facilities for current stations that are too small, according to Jack Krakeel, director of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. When many of the department's stations were built 25 or 30 years ago, Krakeel said, Fayette's firefighters were all volunteers. "They were totally volunteer stations and living quarters weren't a consideration," he said. But now, with paid firefighters manning the stations on 24-hour shifts, the cramped quarters have become a problem, Krakeel said. Also, Station 1 on Ga. Highway 314 North is nestled into the foot of a dam, an unsafe situation that needs to be remedied as soon as possible, Krakeel said. Plans are to build all the stations at one time, saving money by using a single contractor. It will take about 10 years to pay off the debt for the projects, using both impact fees and the county's fire district tax. In addition to Station 1, facilities slated for replacement are: Station 4 in Fayetteville, next to the county's court complex on Johnson Avenue. The county already owns property on Seay Road for a new station, outside the city limits of Fayetteville. Station 5, on Ga. Highway 85 near Bernhard Road. There's enough room at the current location for a new building, Krakeel said. Station 7 in Woolsey. Plans are to build the new Woolsey station on the grounds of the county's new South Fayette Water Treatment facility, under construction on Antioch Road. Station 1 will be an entirely new location, near the current facility on Hwy. 314, Krakeel said.
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