The Owen-Withee-Curtiss Fire & EMS District met on Thursday, July 31 to discuss the possible building of a new fire hall. Owen representative Jason Thornton said the city is offering to swap the land on the east edge of the city for the current building. The money from the sale of the current building would be used to pay off a loan that would be needed to put in a road.
Green Grove representative Mark Klein said the city sold land on the south side of Highway 29 for $1,500 an acre with the road and other infrastructure already there. Thornton pointed out there would be no tax revenue from a new fire hall. Klein felt the district would be paying for the road as part of the land swap. Thornton said the road is expected to cost $230,000-$300,000. Fire chief Travis Serocki had talked to CBS Squared (the engineers) and said the district would still be getting the value of the building as part of the land swap. It can be used as part of the 20% match if the district gets a grant.
Hixon representative Linus Snyder said the businesses that got the land for less are paying more in taxes, so are paying that way. Thornton said he thought there was 13-14 acres available as you can’t build across wetland.
Bob Wilczek said the land would be free to the district and the city would benefit as it would get money for the road as part of the land swap. The fire district would also benefit as they would get to apply it toward their grant match.
Withee representative Larry Klabon said the current building should be appraised to see what it is worth. He said it would have to appraise at least at $250,000 to move forward. Maplehurst representative Mark Nosko agreed that they need to know what the building is worth. CBS Squared said it would cost $1,700-$2,000 for an appraisal. Snyder asked what would happen if they did the land swap and then the building didn’t appraise for enough to do the road. CBS Squared also noted that they can take a certain portion of the site out of wetland. After that they would have to replace whatever wetland they removed on a two to one basis per acre.
Nosko said they should have the building appraised but Hoard representative Dan Bakke wondered if they could just call the city assessor to guess at the value of the land. The district board approved going forward with an appraisal of both the building and the land.
Longwood representative Art Petke wondered if it would be worthwhile to have the whole parcel appraised as it is not worth anything to the city because of the wetland. Thornton said the city planned to leave it as farmland and it might be a potential spot to drill for water in the future. Petke said the fire district could also rent the area as ag land. The board approved getting the whole parcel appraised.
Owen Mayor Scott Jalling and Alderperson Ray Kilty were in attendance at the meeting and didn’t feel the city would be willing to swap the entire parcel. Kilty pointed out a possible future well in the area north of the wetland and the fact that it does connect to the residential area to the north.
Petke felt that the city should share the cost for the soil borings and appraisals. CBS Squared said the boring company would decide on where to bore for the soil samples based on DNR requirements. The $6,500 cost will pay for boring eight holes.
The building itself was discussed with CBS Squared saying the dimensions are 90’ by 248’. Klabon asked where the building would sit and felt the board members needed to go out and walk the property.
In other business, the second quarter financials were approved. Grace Dale said she made a second payment on the pumper, which is why the fire savings account was down. EMS checking is also down as she used funds to pay for their new defibrillator but money will be transferred from the Fire & EMS Foundation to cover that cost.
Chief Serocki said it had been a busy quarter for runs with 31 fire calls and 127 EMS calls. He said they did hose testing and had some blow out. Those hoses have been replaced. They will also be doing ladder and pump testing. One of the ambulances hit a deer. He said they will do write-offs at the budget meeting.
Coming back to the possible new fire hall, Thornton asked how the other municipalities felt about the building. Klein felt it was too much money. Thornton pointed out that this building won’t be built by January 1, 2027 when they need to be out of the Curtiss Station if they don’t plan to purchase it.
Petke pointed out that they don’t have to go back to their boards as they can make money decisions as a fire district. He said the district needs a new building but he doesn’t want to build something that won’t fit. Jane Stoiber said Curtiss is opposed to it as they don’t want to lose having a fire hall in Curtiss. Klein said Green Grove isn’t opposed, but think it is too much money.
Thornton said the Sheriff’s Department is looking at maybe building a back-up dispatch center. They were wondering about adding a couple of extra bays for the county and were willing to pay for that. It was felt that might open the fire district up to more grant funding. This will be on their next agenda.
Snyder said Hixon likes the idea of a new building. Bakke said Hoard feels they have to move on but would hate to see the building in Curtiss empty.
The district plans to meet again once the appraisals are in.