The city of Quitman rejected $10,000 and a donation of land in its quest to find a new home for its ambulance service.
The Quitman City Council declined an offer made by local realtor Stuart Varvil to give the city $10,000 and a lot across from City Hall in exchange for the current EMS building. The lot itself was appraised at $10,000.
“We’re really not in favor of getting rid of (the EMS building),” Councilwoman Cyndi Kerr said.
The offer came on the heels of last month’s meeting when the council voted to build a new EMS building when suitable land could be found. Kerr and council members Stan Reynolds and Michelle Johnson, all fire and ambulance committee members, met earlier and determined that the city should keep the building when the ambulance service vacates it.
“I personally think we need to keep the building and let the fire department use it since the need is there,” Kerr said. “…Why can’t we use it to house the fire equipment that we don’t have a place for now?”
Mayor Carthel Pearce argued that the fire department did not need a third building, even though Fire Chief Tim Pike is forced to house two of the department’s 12 trucks in his own yard.
“I don’t see how this small volunteer fire department needs 12 trucks,” Pearce said. “We’re carrying insurance on trucks we don’t even need.”
Pike disagreed. He said all the trucks were necessary in order for the city to maintain a good ISO rating, a benchmark that insurance companies use to set premiums in geographic areas. The fire chief said his department could make good use of the ambulance building.
“In order to keep the ISO rating we have right now, we’ll have to keep all those trucks,” Pike said.
“You’re telling me that the ISO requires you to have 12 trucks?” Pearce shot back. “You can get me some regulation that says we need 12 trucks.”
EMT Brenda Holley cautioned that the building might not be such a good place to house firetrucks, considering its location near the intersection of Highways 25 and 356. She described a recent event in which an ambulance driver could not get onto the highway in a safe manner because of backed up traffic.
“One of our main concerns with that building is we’re so close to that corner that we have a hard time getting out,” Holley said. “You are too close to that intersection.”
“You aren’t going to back up four or five tractor rigs when you need out,” Pearce said.
Pearce said it would be better to sell the building to avoid the high cost of upkeep and maintenance from years of water leakage and more. He offered another solution for housing the trucks that are currently at Pike’s home.
“Wouldn’t it be better and cheaper to buy a $600 carport and stick it down there by the sewer pond?” the mayor asked.
Pearce stressed that the city would have to come up with less money for a new EMS structure if the council accepted Varvil’s offer and got rid of the current building. He praised the ambulance service for its dedication in always keeping its bills paid, buying its own ambulances and maintaining a stellar service. He said Varvil’s offer would help greatly in any fundraising they might have planned for a new building.
“They’ve struggled a lot of years and have supplied us with a service that we so desperately need,” Pearce said.
Pearce finally gave his firm opinion about the fate of the building. At the beginning of the meeting, he told the council that the building would be used as a mechanic shop for the city if the panel decided to keep it. But by the end, Pearce finally admitted that selling it would be the best option.
“Really if we keep the building, we’re keeping a pink elephant,” Pearce said,
Councilmen Lonnie Rowlett and Porter Bray both stressed that the council needs to do what is best for the city. Bray admitted that he was unsure about what action to take.
“Whether we keep it or sell it, I just don’t know,” Bray said.
Holley wanted the money either way and asked if the city would give the ambulance service $20,000 if Varvil‘s offer was declined. Johnson and Kerr pointed out that the council had already voted to construct a new building for the service before Varvil even presented an offer. Kerr emphasized repeatedly that the EMS will get a new home, regardless of whether the offer was accepted or declined.
In the end, the council voted to keep the building. Johnson, Kerr and Donnie Ghent voted in favor of it. Rowlett opposed the measure while Bray abstained. Reynolds was absent from the meeting.
|
|
|
The city of Quitman rejected $10,000 and a donation of land in its quest to find a new home for its ambulance service.
The Quitman City Council declined an offer made by local realtor Stuart Varvil to give the city $10,000 and a lot across from City Hall in exchange for the current EMS building. The lot itself was appraised at $10,000.
“We’re really not in favor of getting rid of (the EMS building),” Councilwoman Cyndi Kerr said.
The offer came on the heels of last month’s meeting when the council voted to build a new EMS building when suitable land could be found. Kerr and council members Stan Reynolds and Michelle Johnson, all fire and ambulance committee members, met earlier and determined that the city should keep the building when the ambulance service vacates it.
“I personally think we need to keep the building and let the fire department use it since the need is there,” Kerr said. “…Why can’t we use it to house the fire equipment that we don’t have a place for now?”
Mayor Carthel Pearce argued that the fire department did not need a third building, even though Fire Chief Tim Pike is forced to house two of the department’s 12 trucks in his own yard.
“I don’t see how this small volunteer fire department needs 12 trucks,” Pearce said. “We’re carrying insurance on trucks we don’t even need.”
Pike disagreed. He said all the trucks were necessary in order for the city to maintain a good ISO rating, a benchmark that insurance companies use to set premiums in geographic areas. The fire chief said his department could make good use of the ambulance building.
“In order to keep the ISO rating we have right now, we’ll have to keep all those trucks,” Pike said.
“You’re telling me that the ISO requires you to have 12 trucks?” Pearce shot back. “You can get me some regulation that says we need 12 trucks.”
EMT Brenda Holley cautioned that the building might not be such a good place to house firetrucks, considering its location near the intersection of Highways 25 and 356. She described a recent event in which an ambulance driver could not get onto the highway in a safe manner because of backed up traffic.
“One of our main concerns with that building is we’re so close to that corner that we have a hard time getting out,” Holley said. “You are too close to that intersection.”
“You aren’t going to back up four or five tractor rigs when you need out,” Pearce said.
Pearce said it would be better to sell the building to avoid the high cost of upkeep and maintenance from years of water leakage and more. He offered another solution for housing the trucks that are currently at Pike’s home.
“Wouldn’t it be better and cheaper to buy a $600 carport and stick it down there by the sewer pond?” the mayor asked.
Pearce stressed that the city would have to come up with less money for a new EMS structure if the council accepted Varvil’s offer and got rid of the current building. He praised the ambulance service for its dedication in always keeping its bills paid, buying its own ambulances and maintaining a stellar service. He said Varvil’s offer would help greatly in any fundraising they might have planned for a new building.
“They’ve struggled a lot of years and have supplied us with a service that we so desperately need,” Pearce said.
Pearce finally gave his firm opinion about the fate of the building. At the beginning of the meeting, he told the council that the building would be used as a mechanic shop for the city if the panel decided to keep it. But by the end, Pearce finally admitted that selling it would be the best option.
“Really if we keep the building, we’re keeping a pink elephant,” Pearce said,
Councilmen Lonnie Rowlett and Porter Bray both stressed that the council needs to do what is best for the city. Bray admitted that he was unsure about what action to take.
“Whether we keep it or sell it, I just don’t know,” Bray said.
Holley wanted the money either way and asked if the city would give the ambulance service $20,000 if Varvil‘s offer was declined. Johnson and Kerr pointed out that the council had already voted to construct a new building for the service before Varvil even presented an offer. Kerr emphasized repeatedly that the EMS will get a new home, regardless of whether the offer was accepted or declined.
In the end, the council voted to keep the building. Johnson, Kerr and Donnie Ghent voted in favor of it. Rowlett opposed the measure while Bray abstained. Reynolds was absent from the meeting.
