Chapel Hill helps fund EMS station

CHAPEL HILL -- Public safety for motorists in north Marshall County and area residents should improve soon because of a town board decision on Monday to help fund a new ambulance station.

The current ambulance station, in a building owned by the Lions Club, could house one ambulance back when the emergency vehicles were vans. Today's models, however, are much larger, with an aluminum box mounted on a truck chassis, containing equipment and supplies once limited to emergency rooms.

Now, the ambulance station is cramped. The old building is described by local leaders as "worn out."

A two-bay ambulance station near Chapel Hill Elementary School is envisioned by the town Board of Mayor and Aldermen, who unanimously voted to endorse spending up to $125,000 if that's what's needed to match the funding from Marshall County.

While it's unclear exactly when construction of a new ambulance station will start, the steps being taken now for budgets starting July 1 imply that work may begin this year.

"We will partner with you to build the building," Mayor Carl Cooper told Marshall County Commissioner Mary Ann Neill, who attended the town board meeting Monday night in the town's fire and police station.

Neill said a new ambulance station may cost $175,000 to $200,000, but Marshall County commissioners are proposing to budget up to $125,000 for their portion of the building.

"I think that's over-kill," Neill said.

Land for the building is already owned by the county; it was acquired with land for schools and other public facilities near a proposed subdivision planned by Howard and Sally Wall of Murfreesboro.

Designs for the new ambulance station are based on a building recently constructed in Lewisburg for the Marshall County Emergency Medical Service. It has two bedrooms and a full bathroom. A three-bedroom station is contemplated for Chapel Hill.

Neill represents part of Marshall County near Chapel Hill. She chairs a committee that met last week when it voted to recommend county participation with Chapel Hill for the ambulance station. That recommendation is to be considered by the commission's budget committee next week when it could be forwarded to the monthly meeting of the commission on Feb. 25.

Because the Marshall County EMS is a part of county government, questions have been raised why the Town of Chapel Hill would help fund new quarters for the county ambulance service.

"Better services," Mayor Cooper said. "People in the county will benefit, but the building will be in Chapel Hill."

He also noted the town's growing population and its tradition of providing public services such as police, fire, water and sewer.

Also Monday, the town board voted to apply for a Community Development Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through the state. If approved, the money would be used to deal with stormwater drainage issues.

A $366,000 project is envisioned. The town would be obliged to pay 20 percent of it if the grant is awarded.

Meanwhile, City Administrator Mike Hatten announced resurfacing of Depot, High and Lawrence streets is planned during this spring and summer.