Marion County, city partner to build fire substation

After returning from a closed-door session this past Thursday night to discuss partnering with the City of Marion in the construction of a new fire substation in east Marion, County Council approved the measure, asking the county attorney to draw up a contract so they can enter an agreement with the city.

Not a unanimous decision, County Council member Tom Shaw voted against the move, saying that his constituents say they fear taxes will need to raise taxes to build the substation. Once drawn, the contract will be presented to council for approval.

City of Marion Fire Chief Alan Ammons made a presentation detailing the need for the fire substation and displayed the current conditions at the EMS facility on Airport Road behind the Marion County Multi-Purpose building.

Ammons said by housing EMS vehicles and County equipment at the new facility, it would help with operations, living quarters, training facilities and apparatus housing. Ammons proposes that the new facility be a climate controlled building and says the location would cut the average emergency response time by three minutes.

Initially, one ambulance and crew will be moved to the new site and the county will maintain EMS staff at the Airport Road location. The city proposes that the partnership would cost the County $36,000 over a three-year period, along with sharing the cost of utilities.

Mayor Bobby Gerald said the county’s help in preparing the site would be the only additional request.

“It’s a win-win situation for the entire county,” he said, adding that there could be room for expansion in the future.

County administrator Tim Harper recommended the project saying in the future the site could possibly help the City of Mullins, too. “Our living quarters are not where they need to be,” he said.

Council member Alan Floyd he was embarrassed by what he saw in the presentation.

In a legal update, County Attorney Charles McLain read a resolution proclaiming support and observance of Black History Month. “Where as many of Marion County’s strengths can be attributed to the diversity of cultures and traditions celebrated by the residents of the Pee Dee region, and where as African Americans have played a significant roles in the history of Marion County’s economic, cultural, spiritual, and political development,” he read from the resolution.

In an administrative update, Harper received council approval to proceed with turning property owned by Don Bame into a multi-county industrial park.
According to Harper, the local government fund could face an additional cut, after the House Ways and Means committee met and adopted a resolution to make statewide cuts of an estimated $122 million.

“That would give Marion a cut of about $897,000,” Harper said, adding that Rep. Jim Battle voted against the measure. “The legislators make the cuts and then it falls down on the local level to make the hard decisions,” he said, adding that all local municipalities will be affected. Harper mentioned the funding from the Federal stimulus package could end up helping the county.