Plans for Ironton’s new fire station have been placed on hold, but officials are placing thought into temporarily fixing the current building.

Friday, February 02, 2001

Plans for Ironton’s new fire station have been placed on hold, but officials are placing thought into temporarily fixing the current building.

Ironton officials have been taking a closer look at how the closing of River Valley Health System will affect the fire fee and its ability to provide enough money for a new station, said Cindy Anderson, city finance director.

"Last year, the hospital used approximately $47,000 in water," she said. "They were one of our largest water consumers. Losing them will have a significant impact on the fire fee because it is based on consumption."

She said the hospital closing will impact the fire fee "a little less than $8,700 a year."

Currently, an estimated $300,000 has accumulated in the fire fee fund, but $190,000 remains outstanding after officials borrowed funds to pay for architectural work and to purchase properties adjacent to the fire station, she said.

Ironton Mayor Bob Cleary said the closing of RVHS does have an impact on the city’s decision to halt the building progress.

"With the hospital now moving out, plans for a new firehouse are on hold," Cleary said.

He also cited current budget problems as part of the delay.

IFD Chief Tom Runyon told council’s finance committee Tuesday water continuously pours in the aging building through the roof.

"I know the city is hurting financially," he said during the meeting. "But, we’re running a ‘bucket brigade’ every time we receive rain. We have to place men in the attic and form a line down to the bathroom to empty filling buckets of water. We can’t keep doing this."

Cleary said money will be appropriated for repairing the roof and "maybe some other minor fix-up projects."

"The station could stand a new paint job," he said. "I would also like to look at costs for an exhaust system to remove fumes out of the building."

He said officials would be exploring ways to improve the current conditions at the station without incurring a large investment.

"If we install an exhaust system in the current station, hopefully it will be something that can be used in a new building when we are able to build it," he said. "But, we’re still able to give the citizens better protection than they’ve ever had with the fire fee."