Existing station to be sold
The building that will house the fire station is 1149 S. Garfield, and the city looks to close on the property on Sept. 1
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – One ballot measure that was up for vote during the primary election on Aug. 1 has officially passed once it was validated.
Proposition Two was added to the ballot to help the city purchase a new building at 1149 S. Garfield that will house the fire department.
The biggest concern with this according to the city was that the measure had to reach the majority vote to pass, but also needed at least 40 percent of previous voters to vote on the measure in order to validate the process.
According to City Manager Albert Tripp, there has been a rapid turnaround for them to make the purchase.
"We're slated to close on the property September 1," Tripp said. "So, it's a pretty quick turnaround following the validation of the vote."
Tripp said they have also started looking into different architects, and there are five current architects that will be interviewed regarding the renovations and design.
The city is currently moving the fire department, and possibly the building and planning offices because there is space in the new facility for that.
"That location already has some existing office space in it," Tripp said. "We're thinking of putting building and planning over there."
According to Tripp they will be looking to move other services over as resources are made available.
The existing fire station and building and planning facility will also be placed on the market for sale according to Tripp.
He said the money that comes out of those property sales can be used for several purposes.
"To be able to pay the bond earlier or to use it to renovate the space for other city services," Tripp said. "Those are all options we can look at with those funds."
According to Airway Heights Fire Chief Mitch Metzger, they have specific upgrades in mind but there are a lot of steps before the work can be done.
He wants to see updated living and sleeping quarters along with a modern kitchen. Metzger said the department will also finally have adequate training facilities.
He said the city has to interview different architects, and they have narrowed it down to three.
"We don't have an architect under contract yet, so we don't have any hard and fast numbers as of now. However, depending several factors, we hope to start the project in May of 2024 and it should take around 8 months," Airway Fire Chief Mitch Metzger said.
Matthew graduated from West Virginia University-Parkersburg in 2011 with a journalism degree. He's an award-winning photographer and enjoys writing stories about people.
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