Rural Fire District No. 2 volunteers are hoping an opportunity to build a fire station north of town comes to fruition.
Robin Boyer, Iola, has donated 2 acres at the northeast corner of Oregon Road and 1400 Street, a stone’s throw north of Iola.
The catch is, the district doesn’t have nearly enough resources to stand construction of a building.
At Tuesday’s meeting of Allen County Commissioners, Travis Baughn, speaking on behalf of the volunteers, said a “ballpark figure” for a suitable structure is about $240,000.
The volunteers have been leasing a storage building just west of Iola the past 14 years, during which they have spent a total of $64,000. Rent is $600 a month. They have three years left on their lease.
A new station has been the wish for years. Volunteers failed to secure a grant through FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, that was offered on a one-time basis, and have been told the district’s high poverty level precludes it from attracting a Community Development Block Grant. State grants for which they might have qualified no longer are available.
Meanwhile, volunteers are moving ahead to acquire the land, which includes an old homestead and trees. Commissioners assured the county would demolish buildings, topple trees and remove debris.
That would leave volunteers with a choice piece of land, but only $30,000 in savings.
Had it not been for the purchase of a fire truck in 2016, the volunteers’ reserves would have been much greater.
The volunteers received $21,578 in tax revenue from a district levy for 2017, with a similar amount expected this year.
They did not approach commissioners directly about footing the cost of a new station, but reality is their recourse is severely limited.
“If we had the new station (paid for) and were out from under the lease,” the volunteers could use annual revenue to update and add to firefighting equipment, Baughn said.
“I know Mitch (Garner, director of Public Works) can take care of the buildings and trees,” said Commission Chairman Tom Williams. “And, you do have a prime location,” to answer calls within their district, offered Commissioner Jerry Daniels.
The volunteers, responsible for Carlyle and Geneva townships and a small portion of Elm, are part of a triumvirate with Iola and LaHarpe fire departments that share tax revenue from the encompassing district.
Volunteers said they could respond quicker to most calls if their station were on the north edge of town. Safer, too, said Baughn, by not having to drive through Iola to respond to the vast majority of calls.
“Once you’re sure of ownership (of the Boyer property) we’ll see where we need to go” in finding ways to finance a new station, Daniels said.
