Shayla Gaulding
The Emporia Gazette
(TNS)

Mar. 18—The Chase County Commission discussed the need for a new fire station in Strong City at its meeting Monday morning at the Chase County Courthouse.

As previously reported by The Leader-News, the current fire station covers only 0.5 acres of land owned by the City of Strong City and is not able to accommodate all of the county’s emergency vehicles. It is also located near the future Strong City splash pad, which has raised concerns about the safety of children playing near the station in the event of an emergency, as well as parking concerns for emergency responders.

Commissioners are considering building a new, 10,200-square-foot facility and abandoning the existing fire station in Strong City. The new station would be 10 bays and include a training room, an office, ADA restrooms, storage and be set up to easily accommodate additions. No location has officially been announced, though a preliminary architectural report from BG Consultants — the architects handling the potential construction — suggested the facilities be located north of Highway 50.

A public hearing date is set for Wednesday, April 5 at 7 p.m. at the Swope Park Community Building in Cottonwood Falls for community input.

Ranson Financial Municipal Consultant Rose Mary Saunders joined the commission via Zoom to discuss financing the project. While an updated cost estimate on the project is still pending, Saunders said the cost for the fire station, including bond costs, is projected to be $1,996,579 before grants.

“The [community service tax credit program, or CPS] we were wanting to apply for, it’s a maximum of $200,000 that we can apply for. It has to be done by a nonprofit,” Saunders said. “We would utilize that [the Emporia Community Foundation Chase County Emergency Services Fund] to apply for the tax credits.

“It’s a way to invest money into the community and for the individual or another foundation or company to get a tax credit on your state taxes,” she explained. “It is a mechanism where you can get a credit on your taxes and still benefit the fire station.”

According to Saunders, the county would be applying to CDBG for $600,000 and another $200,000 from CSP, leaving the county with $1,146,579 in total costs. The county can also look for other funding, Saunders said, including the Sunderland Foundation and the Dane G. Hansen Foundation.

Commissioners approved a grant-writing contract for Saunders for her work on the applications. The contract is for $90 per hour, not to exceed $5,000.

In further business, Commission Chair Tony Hazelton gave an update on ongoing discussions to prevent further salt and moisture damage to the courthouse’s foundation and walls. Hazelton said Michael Clancy of RenoDry, out of Overland Park, is in the process of providing the commission with more references on how a device to remove moisture and salt from the building has worked at other historical buildings.

Hazelton also addressed concerns that the device would need to be installed on the main floor, as it would need to be placed above the water and salt line.

“They would like it on this floor,” Hazelton said. “They want it above the water line, salt line, so they want it on this floor but they could put it in an office or closet or bathroom.”

The commission also:

• Signed a lease agreement with Cottonwood Valley Bank for motor grader financing.
• Discussed various upcoming Road and Bridge projects.
• The Chase County Commission will meet again on March 31 at 9 a.m. at the Chase County Courthouse.

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Jamie Browder
The Keene Sentinel, N.H.
(TNS)

Mar. 18—MARLOW — Voters agreed Saturday to pursue potential solutions to building problems in the police and fire stations.

The nearly three-hour town meeting was attended by 33 residents, who approved every article on the warrant, including an amendment to increase the veterans tax credit.

Two articles related to the police and fire stations: One to change the name of an existing capital reserve fund to the Public Safety Building Project Capital Reserve Fund to pay for a feasibility study of a public safety building, and to allow the selectboard to expend money from it, and another to deposit $45,000 into that fund.

Both passed on a voice vote.

Tom Willey, a member of the Marlow Public Safety Building Advisory Committee, said the fire station has structural issues, no space for equipment, barely any room for trucks to be parked inside, undrinkable water, no showers, mold, and the building tends to flood or freeze. The police department building, Willey said, also has mold, no functioning bathroom and no place to store evidence.

The town’s choices are either to repair the stations or build new on 7.5 acres of property the town already owns. Willey cautioned, though, that any repairs to the fire station could be costly, as the station would have to be brought up to code, which it currently isn’t.

Willey said the cost of the feasibility study, to be conducted by an architect, is estimated at $30,000 and it will help the town decide which option is cheaper.

Selectboard Chair Robert Allen said changing the name of the reserve fund, called the Community Development Project Capital Reserve Fund, to focus on the public safety building project could also help the project garner grants. The fund currently has $12,318.

Also on Saturday, voters agreed to re-adopt a veterans tax credit, and to raise that tax credit from $200 to $750.

The movement to raise the credit was brought by resident Jim Strickland, who inquired what the highest amount of money the credit could be.

Executive Administrator Jacqui Fay reviewed state law and found $750 was the top limit for the credit. The amendment passed with a majority vote, followed by the overall article.

The town’s budget proposal of $896,190, up about 1.1 percent, or $9,786, from the $886,404 budget voters approved last year, was approved unanimously by voters.

Residents also approved adding funds to capital reserves: $25,000 for the road improvement trust fund; $10,000 for the heavy highway equipment fund; $5,000 for the transfer station trust fund; $5,000 for the police cruiser fund and $7,600 for the police recruitment fund. All of these allocations would come from budget surplus.

Voters also greenlit adding $10,000 for the fire truck and ambulance fund; $4,000 for the fire and ambulance repair trust fund; $5,000 for the fire uniform and protective equipment trust fund; $2,000 for the information technology equipment replacement trust fund and $10,500 for the cyclical revaluation fund.

Voters also OK’d a request to create the Robert Nichols Ambulance Expendable Trust Fund and appropriate $31,725 for it. The entire amount is coming from funds bequeathed from the Robert C. Nichols trust/estate.

Voters approved $10,500 to update the town’s hazard mitigation plan, contingent on receiving 75 percent from the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program Grant. The other 25 percent would be matched by the town.

Elections for town and school district positions will take place on March 28 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the John D. Perkins Sr. Academy, after being postponed due to last week’s snowstorm.

Jamie Browder can be reached at 352-1234 ext. 1427 or Read more

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