Aberdeen Seeks Stimulus Funds for Fire Station Expansion

Aberdeen Fire Station Glenn M. Sides

As of Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Stimulus money in the form of a loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay most of the cost of expanding the Aberdeen fire station.

The Aberdeen Town Board voted 4-0 Monday night to approve seeking the loan. Mayor Betsy Mofield and board member Alan Parker were absent.

The total amount of the project is $1,423,300. The loan will cover $1,144,900, with a grant covering $203,400 and the town paying the other $75,000, said Allen Hart with the U.S. Department of Agriculture The federal loan comes from the American Recovery Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Hart presented an overview of the loan agreement to the Town Board prior to the vote.

"If we can agree tonight," Hart said, "we should have final approval in seven to 10 days."

Once the loan is approved, the town can seek construction bids. The town will not know the actual cost of the project until the bids are received.

"All this (loan agreement) does is allow us to take bids," Town Manager Bill Zell said.

The expansion will add 4,195 square feet to the existing building on Holly Street. The expansion incudes 600 square feet for storage, as well as space for an emergency operations center, offices, a training center, living quarters, a workout area, a new kitchen and a new conference room.

The board approved a site plan for the expansion during its work session two weeks ago. The expansion will be added to the side of the building that borders Peach Street.

In other business, the board voted unanimously to approve a site plan for construction of a concession stand at Southern Middle School. The 1,293-square-foot building will include restrooms and a storage room.

The board unanimously approved a five-year water purchase contract with Moore County.

The town will sell the county up to 230,000 gallon per day at a cost of $2.10 per 1,000 gallons. That price will net the town $176,300 per year.

"Somewhere in the county, somebody is going to enjoy Aberdeen water," Commis-sioner Robbie Farrell said.

Contact Tom Embrey at tembrey@thepilot.com.

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None 2 years, 9 months ago

Congressman Howard Coble should make an appearence since he voted against stimulus money. He joined the TEA Party Activist [TPA] in Pinehurst to celebrate the millions of stimulus dollars used for pump lift stations around Lake Pinehurst...TEA Party member Dee Parks said, Mums the word. Let's just bash the Dems for sending this 3.2 million our way. And the CONSERVATIVE County Board of Commissioners just keep spending away. Perhaps if the GOP regains the seats in both houses, they will scale back spending since they will have spent tax money like water flowing under a bridge to endless debt.

ywnk90 2 years, 9 months ago

Congrats to the Aberdeen FD. those boys need a new home. @steveital instead of bashing the FD get a life and go see how out dated the station is... would you rather federal $ be spent on crack heads on food stamps? at least this is going to an organization that benefits the community more than a fat cat bank.

ywnk90 2 years, 9 months ago

boo hoo. stop acting like a child. Be glad as for the how is this going to create job? well bigger space means the department has room to grow. Aberdeen city limits are getting bigger which means more fire district. More district means more firemen. There is such a thing as an ISO rating. So in a nut shell a larger building can house more jobs. oh and the last time I check if you dont break the law you wont get a ticket, not the PD's fault for people being stupid

None 2 years, 9 months ago

Republican's response to stimulus money:

"The American people are fed up with the Democrats' 'stimulus' spending and they certainly don't want another job-killing tax hike on U.S. job-creators," said House Republican Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, in a statement Tuesday. "Everyone knows that state budgets have been hit hard and no one wants teachers or police officers to lose their jobs. But where do the bailouts end? Are we going to bail out states next year and the year after that too? At some point we've got to say 'enough is enough."

Boo Hoo ~ get it while you can because after November the stimulus stops. Stupid taxpayers for requesting all that Federal Money....

fwanko 2 years, 9 months ago

I think the path that should have been taken and maybe wasn't considered, would be to find a new and better place for the Aberdeen elementary, perhaps on site with the Southern Middle School, then build a new fire station on the school site. This would give the fire department what would appear to be a bigger lot to work with, a better design for access to US 1 instead of coming out blind behind a building and the biggest thing for us commuters from south of the area it would get rid of the traffic tie ups along US 1.