The Lamar County commission unanimously approved the construction of a new fire headquarters on Roberta Drive at its regular meeting Tuesday night. The project will cost approximately $700,000.
Architect Todd Albritton's rendering of the new fire headquarters facility.
Start with the sinkhole at the corner of College and Poplar!
Perhaps I read the figures incorrectly. I understand that inmate labor will be used but really, can this be done?
Perhaps a breakdown of materials prices is in order here.
Anyone?
3,600 square feet firehouse. 5,400 square feet 4 trucks. 2,200 square feet office, meeting room and tower with a training. 1,300 square feet little white house.
Am I the only one that has looked at the traffic patterns of the location for the proposed station? When school lets out there is a line of 13 or so buses waiting to go out the four-lane. If an emergency call comes in at that same time the fire trucks will have to work against that traffic pattern and drive into unsuspecting oncoming traffic coming off the four lane. They will then have to either turn left or right on the four-lane and try to enter the traffic flow. Those are valuable moments in an emergency situation.
I would also like to know if bids have come in for the brick work on the exterior of this facility, the concrete work for the garage bay that will support the emergency vehicles, the furniture and male/female living accommodations, etc. And mind you...all this for $700k.
I just feel that this is not an issue of deserving fire fighters or EMS folks but rather an issue of surface planning and lack of foresight.
It says nothing about a budget to be presented or voted on. It says nothing about final plans to be accepted by commission vote. It only says that a line of discussion will be the fire station headquarters. I did not live in Lamar County when the SPLOST for this project was voted on so I was not able to voice my opinion then. I can now though but unless the commission is going to publicly release budget information prior to their voting no citizen will actually get to address issues as they occur.
Thank you! Thank you. Support our firefighters.
Chief Steve Andrews, Asst. Chief Mary Duffee, Capt. Chris Minchew, Capt. Dexter Brown, Capt. Jack Doss, Capt. Joe Peters, Capt. Jody Burks, Capt. Gerry Larkey, Capt. Brandt Harvil, Lt. Will Reeder, Lt. Ed Greer, Lt. John Roquemore, Lt. Milo Wimberly, Lt. Tim Murray, Lt. Mike Hood, Sgt. Branton Scott, Sgt. Douglas Matthews, Sgt. Ray Chambers, Sgt. Wayne Denton, Sgt. Sam Sherouse, Sgt. Ernie McWhorter, Sgt. Robbie Vickery, Sgt. Carey Fogarty, Sgt. Steve Hugh, Cpl. Adam Andrews, Cpl. Nathaniel Rooks, Cpl. Edward Walton, Cpl. Josh Campbell, Cpl. James Chute, Cpl. Chris Canavaggio, Cpl. Bernard Ogletree, Cpl. Justin Langley, Cpl. Josh Humphrey, Cpl. Melissa Storey, FF Sam Hugh, FF Kris Lively, FF Kevin Lively, FF Luke Andrews, FF Josh Cowart, FF Chris Bowden, FF Donna Hood, FF John Meyer, FF Don Killingsworth, FF Joey Anderson, FF Ryan Rooks, FF Clay Tillery, FF Cody Chute, FF Andrew Forsyth, FF Kelvin Chute, FF Glenn Forsyth and 20 rookies.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMISSIONERS WERE LOOKING AT A TRAC OF LAND ABOUT 3 ACRES THAT WOULD HAVE COST OVER 100,000 TO PURCHASE. (A FORMER COMMISSIONER TOLD ME THIS AT HARDEES, NOT SURE IF TRUE. BUT HE HAS NO REASON TO LIE) I THINK THE COMMISSIONERS WERE SMART IN USING LAND THAT THE COUNTY ALREADY OWNS. BY THE WAY THE SHERIFF OFFICE HAS FUNCTIONED JUST FINE ON THE SAME ROAD FOR YEARS. SHOW ME A LOCATION THAT CAN SERVE THE POPULATION CENTER TIMELY THAT DOES NOT HAVE TRAFFIC ISSUES. THE CITY STATION IS LOCATED ON A BUSY STREET IN TOWN THAT I SEE HEAVY TRAFFIC BACKED UP MANY TIMES DURING THE DAY DUE TO TRAIN AND COLLEGE TRAFFIC. NO MAJOR ISSUES THERE THAT A LOUD SIREN CAN'T FIX.
I ALSO THINK YOU ARE WRONG TO SAY THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE NOT HAD PLANNING AND FORESIGHT ON THIS. LOOKS TO ME A LOT HAS BEEN DONE TO PREPARE.
I am also not arguing that this land is not good. I am proposing that all traffic situations be addressed. Perhaps having the trucks pull out directly onto the four-lane would be a better positioning.
I never said the commissioners have not had planning and foresight. However, when one commissioner in a public meeting asks the other commissioners "do we even have blueprints yet?"...well, that just seems to indicate that not all circumstances have been addressed.
It seems though that you have outsmarted me though 'lcff' and that you have thought of everything. You speak of "we" and call yourself lcff so I am assuming you are a firefighter and come from a very emotional attachment to the building of this station which I repeat is NOT the subject of my argument. The station is being built. If no one stops to bring up any sort of argument of possible issues than we, as a county, may be faced with a host of problems in the future. I do ask though that you skip over my home for donations. My taxes should be sufficient and if things like furniture for this station are not included in the budget then some things were, in fact, not thought through.
I do support our emergency personnel and if you stopped tearing up every time I wrote something you would quickly realize that my objections come only from a place of concern for the best quality department and equipment our tax dollars can buy.
Healthy debate BEFORE spending money is a good thing. Letting those who want something decide if it is a good idea is never a good way to do business. Shopoholics never make good choices, they just spend.
This morning! I talk to Wayne Patterson, Jay Matthews, George Brown, Nancy Thrash, Bennie Horton, Jimmy Hearn, Chief Steve Andrews and Asst Chief Mary Duffee. I say "9 or 12 or 15 firefighters can stay at the new station 24 hours" and "9 young volunteer firefighters... "rent free". Wayne Patterson, Jay Matthews, George Brown, Nancy Thrash, Bennie Horton, Jimmy Hearn, Chief Steve Andrews and Asst Chief Mary Duffee said yes yes yes yes.
Off the cuff, I do find it funny that the only word you misspelled was 'idiot.' Poetic justice, I think you can say.
I am not from New York. I grew up in Barnesville before realizing there may be life beyond Lamar County. I did not accuse anyone of being illiterate. You put that moniker on yourself. I only pointed out the irony in you misspelling the word idiot; it was poetic justice, indeed. Hey, no hard feelings. I just call it like I see it.
How many people in city and county?
17,000-20,000 people.
How Good or Bad?
House fire. Apartment fire. Car fire. Truck fire. Church fire. Trash fire. Brush fire. Burning Building. Wildfire. Smoke detector. Gas leak. Motor Vehicle Accident. Plane crash. Haz-Mat. EMS. Heart attack. Pet attack. Chest pain. High blood. EMS Flight. Fire Safety. Fire training. EMS training. Bomb squad. Honor Guard. Water rescue. Search and rescue. Hurricane. Tornado. Arson. and alot...
House fire. Apartment fire. Car fire. Truck fire. Church fire. Trash fire. Brush fire. Burning Building. Wildfire. Smoke detector. Gas leak. Motor Vehicle Accident. Plane crash. Haz-Mat. EMS. Heart attack. Pet attack. Chest pain. High blood. EMS Flight. Fire Safety. Fire training. EMS training. Bomb squad. Honor Guard. Water rescue. Search and rescue. Hurricane. Tornado. Arson. and alot... "
What kind of brainless drivel is that??? It makes no sense.
From what I read here, Odom was pointing out the commission had a meeting without announcing the fire station was on the agenda. That's wrong and smacks of the old Hardwick/Burnette way of doing business. It is not what the vote is that is in dispute. It is how the vote was done.
Picking at Brown is wrong too. In fairness Brown wanted the existing stations scattered around the county fixed and manned, including ones sitting unused. From what I heard and saw he wasn't against the new station as much as he just wanted to staff the stations distributed out in the county.
That makes sense to me. It doesn't do much for people 15 minutes from the city to build a big new station there near the existing Barnesville one. I know we need a new facility for the part time Chief and the staff, no problem. The old one is crap. Is the wisest choice to build a fancy new one? I don't know because the whiners don't make points one way or another. They just kick their feet and whine if anyone asks them any questions.
Thrash and the rest are a disappointment. Mathews and Barnesville are running the county again looking out for Barnesville at the expense of the county.
That saves homeowners and insurance premiums.
Yes we need a new facility for the full time and part time... We have problem. Vice chairman George Brown is wrong. Fire services "not taxes".
2 or 3 years ago. Fire chief want 9 or 15 fulltime. The chairman Jay Matthews noted applying for 9 or 15. The idea of 9 or 15 firefighters staying at the station 24 hours.
3 months ago. Nancy Thrash noted the engine and ambulance now in Milner will be moved to the new station. Those at the Parker Branch Road station will then move to Milner, freeing up the Parker Branch station for occupation by volunteers to live there under the rent free plan. Maybe????
Maybe don't need ambulance?