A new Lawrence County EMS station will go up out State Route 93 near Mended Reeds and the new Dollar General store being built on land owned by the school district if the 2-mill countywide EMS levy is passed by voters in November.

The Rock Hill Board of Education recently passed a resolution expressing its willingness to cooperate with the Lawrence County Commission to locate a new EMS station on property owned by the district. At the commission meeting Tuesday, the commission approved a resolution to partner with the school district on the project.

Currently, Lawrence County EMS has five stations, located in Aid Township, Chesapeake, Ironton/Coal Grove, South Point and Rome Township. EMS presence in the Rock Hill area is currently lacking, which increases all response times.

“Rock Hill does not have an EMS station, which increases the response time for everyone in Lawrence County,” Jason Stephens, Lawrence County auditor, said. “If something happens out (State Route) 93, ambulances from Ironton go out there, and it pushes all of the other stations to cover the areas where ambulances are lacking.”

For example, when Ironton ambulances attend to incidents out State Route 93, the South Point station is forced to cover Ironton, the Chesapeake station covers South Point, the Rome Township station covers Chesapeake and the Aid Township station covers Rome Township. This is something Lawrence County EMS Director Buddy Fry says happens nearly on a daily basis.

“This new EMS station near Rock Hill will affect everyone in the county,” Stephens said. “If the levy passes, the Rock Hill station will be affordable and countywide EMS coverage will improve.”

The 2-mill EMS levy would cost $2 for every $1,000 of taxable property value, meaning a $100,000 property value breaks down to $70 a year, or $5.83 per month or 19 cents a day.

The median Lawrence County property value of $68,000 would cost $47.60 a year, or $3.97 per month or 13 cents a day.

According to Stephens, if the county residents vote to pass the EMS levy, not only would there be expanded coverage and better response times, but it would allow experienced paramedics and EMTs to continue to be on call 24/7, 365 days a year countywide and updates to ambulances and medical equipment would be sustainable. If the levy is not passed, countywide EMS will be eliminated next year.

In other action, the commission:

• Approved the Dog Warden Report dated Sept. 19, 2017.

• Approved four transfer funds.

• Approved five appropriations.

• Approved and signed a resolution for the 2018 County Resurfacing Project, requested by Lawrence County Engineer Patrick Leighty.

• Approved and signed a resolution for the 2018 County/Township Joint Resurfacing Project, requested by Leighty.

• Approved and signed a resolution for the 2018 County/Village Joint Resurfacing Project, requested by Leighty.

• Approved a Notice of Award for Solid Rock Construction, Demolition and Site Restoration of residential structures at 202 Dutey Drive. The quote was accepted at $8,990.

• Approved a Notice of Award for Solid Rock Construction, Demolition and Site Restoration of residential structures at 662 Lane Street, Coal Grove. The quote was accepted at $7,100.

• Approved a Notice of Award to Danny Sullivan Excavating, Demolition and Site Restoration at 801 Lane Street, Coal Grove. The quote was accepted at $8,387.

• Approved a Notice of Award to Danny Sullivan Excavating, Demolition and Site Restoration at 8360 County Road 1, South Point. The quote was accepted at $12,387.

• Received and filed/referred a correspondence from Mel McCallister regarding the Lawrence County Airpark.

• Approved the Budget Request for the new Quick Response Team grant for the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office.

• Approved the Bid Recommendation for the County-Township Resurfacing Project to the Shelley Company, of Thornville, in the amount of $778,160.65.

• Proclaimed Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, as “Giving Back to Veterans Day” in Lawrence County.

• Recognized Lillie Marie Elkins Stapleton on her 100th birthday Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017.

• Met in executive session with Lawrence County Chief Deputy Auditor Chris Kline and Jeff Smith regarding pending litigation. No action was taken.

• Met in executive session with Jason Stephens and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand. No action was taken.

• Met in executive session with Buddy Fry regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand. No action was taken.