CHIPPWEA COUNTY — No progress was made at last night’s Kinross Township Hall meeting after voters rejected funding for a new fire hall during last week’s election.
Those who attended were vocal that the department needs help, but the Kinross Charter Township Supervisor wonders where that enthusiasm was last week.
During the 7 p.m. meeting, Chippewa County. Economic Development Corp. President Chris Olson said that the corporation would not be renewing its lease on the Fire Department’s building.
Chris says this is something the department knew was coming for two years.
However, if they see progress in the department getting a new building, they will agree to a month to month term.
People in the building even began talking about looking into buildings at the fairgrounds or around the community to house the trucks, but Kinross Charter Township Supervisor Mark Rice says new is better.
“They’ve been in different buildings over the course of the fire department has for the course of the last 30 or 40 years. Since the base closure.” Rice says “So being able to have something that we can say, this is our fire hall, and this is something we can we can rally around as a community, is really important. ”
Some people even spoke up about the price tag of the building set by the engineering firm of around 3 million and by using a downstate construction company and not a local Upper Peninsula company.
Mark says they are looking at different sources of funding to reduce taxpayer burden.
Firefighter Gus Ortiz understand why people don’t want to be on the hook, adding “But I also understand that there has to be a, a place where, the department can call their own and they can come in and they can and they can, unload, unload the equipment.”
In the end, those who live in the area believe the price tag is way too high and think it can be cut in half for what the department needs.
There is still a chance that the fire department could still be dissolved temporarily this winter if a heated building cannot be found for the trucks and equipment.
Another scenario involves using two locations.
“We have a building down at our water sewer department that could potentially be used.” Olson says, “It’s not a good solution overall because of getting vehicles in and out is not the the easiest thing to do. Plus it’s added that it’s part of a treatment plant.”