New fire station in Perkins?

Dale Himes - NewsPress

March 26, 2008 11:33 am

— PERKINS — Because of residential and commercial growth in north Perkins and within the fire district, city officials are exploring the construction of a substation for the fire department on school-owned property.
City Manager Pete Seikel said the idea grew out of discussions with Fire Chief Joe Barta within the past 60 days. Barta met with Perkins-Tryon schools Superintendent Jim Ramsey, who thought the idea had merit.
Barta met with school board members in March but the board wanted time to work out some details and put some assurances in place.
Seikel said the superintendent and school board members want an assurance the property would be used exclusively for fire protection operations.
The land in question is located at the northwest corner at Sadler Road and state Highway 33.
Ramsey said Monday he expects the city to present a proposal to him this week and that the school board will take up the matter April 7, determining the length of the land lease.
“I think it is a great idea,” Ramsey said, adding the substation would be located near the high school campus.
“Our growth is primarily to the north — inside the city limits and in the fire district in that direction,” Seikel said. “The location would be ideal for us, being close to the school campus.”
Seikel said the city has no room for expansion at the fire station on Main Street, being sandwiched between a garage and the Strode Funeral Home chapel.
Seikel said the amount of land has not been worked out but expects the substation will be about 3,000 square feet, for starters.
Seikel said Perkins has received $200,000 in supplemental funds through the Homeland Security program — money that will be used to purchase a new 1,100-gallon pumper tanker, which is on order.
He said the city will have to put about $36,000 in city funds toward the purchase of the truck.
Perkins has a 25-member volunteer fire department. Seikel said the state Legislature raised the number of volunteers from 20 to 25 that a fire department can have.
“The bulk of volunteer firemen, like ours, are not employed within the community, so the increase helps,” Seikel said. “I suspect the wildfires last year may have had a lot to do with the legislation. Having 15-18 show up sometimes was not enough.”