THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 12, 1996 TAG: 9601120499
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
As promised, City Council members are still talking about where to put their second fire station.
The Public Safety Committee met for more than 90 minutes Thursday, taking the first steps toward getting firmer estimates on what is needed to replace a deteriorated Elizabeth Street fire station.
Before the committee meets again in early February, committee members hope their architects will take another look at the building and prepare information on how the project can be put together.
``This is what council wants to be see done,'' said Councilman Lloyd Griffin, the driving force behind the city's current plans to rebuild on the downtown site. ``The actual nuts and bolts of using that site is what we want.''
Since the station was deemed unsafe for firefighters to live in nearly 18 months ago, the council has debated in circles over where to put a second fire station.
A 5-3 vote in late November officially brought the council back to Elizabeth Street, despite recommendations by staff, engineers and architects that it was a bad idea.
The station is built on unstable property, which prompted the deterioration of a main wall. Engineers have said it is possible to rebuild on the site, but they can't guarantee that the building would last very long.
An October report from Dove-Knight & Associates architects of Rocky Mount guesses that the site could be reconstructed for about $168,000 - much less expensive than the council's other main option of building a new station north of downtown. But the report also advises against the Elizabeth Street project because of the unpredictable property.
Mayor H. Rick Gardner congratulated the committee for rolling up its sleeves but urged it to stay in touch with experts.
``I'm glad to see that the committee has met and is ready to move forward,'' Gardner said. ``But don't do it without your architect and engineers' input.''
Committee Chairman Jimi Sutton and members Griffin, Anita Hummer and Myrtle Rivers questioned Fire Chief Tedd Melvin on the specifics needed of the building: four bunks, a captain's quarters and minimum square footage for trucks and equipment.
Melvin is among those who prefer other sites to the Elizabeth Street spot, but he acknowledged that the department could operate a station on the property.
``Realistically, we could make this fire station here suitable for everybody,'' Griffin offered.
``You could put a fire station there, you're right,'' Melvin replied.
Despite an apparent consensus about continuing work on the Elizabeth Street site, some committee members talked about keeping their options open.
``Maybe the fire station won't go here,'' Sutton said. ``In reality, we may not be able to do anything on this spot except take it up and plant some green grass.'' by CNB