Commissioners discuss new fire training facility

Prospective firefighters from across the region may find themselves training at a new Harrison County facility.

Mark Strange, Harrison Township trustee, approached the commission to present project details for a fire tower in Corydon.

The proposed site on the property of the Harrison Township Fire Department is one of four physical training locations across Indiana slated to open in the first quarter of 2024. The three others will be built in Linton, Rensselaer and Wabash. The training sites are part of a statewide plan by Governor Eric Holcomb to expand access to physical training facilities for firefighters. According to a press release from Holcomb's office, the state will invest $7.7 million to building new training sites.

Strange explained that the governor's proposal will add 16 new training locations to the 14 existing sites in the state. He said current firefighters in the county — most of whom are volunteers — currently have to travel to attend trainings, an expense participants currently have to cover independently. The time and cost associated with this training can discourage potential firefighters from joining Harrison County's ranks. Strange said building a tower in Harrison County would not only provide quality training for active firefighters, it may make that training accessible for individuals who are interested in volunteering but don't have the time or money to travel for training.

"Maybe in the long run, the most important benefit will be the retention and recruitment of firefighters who can now complete all phases of the training right here in Harrison County," Strange said.

The tower will also draw firefighters from across the region to Harrison County for training, potentially taking advantage of local businesses like hotels and restaurants during the trainings.

Commissioner Nelson Stepro added that the facility, despite being on the property of Harrison Township Fire Department, would not belong to any specific group.

"(The tower) won't belong to any one particular fire township or station or anything like that," Stepro said. "And also, the state grant requires it to be available to anyone. This will be good for everyone, not just one or two departments."

Strange said the facility is an estimated $1.1 million project, with the three-story tower alone costing $700,000. He said when the project was first discussed almost two years ago, the estimated cost was $465,000.

"Time is really of the essence because these things are just moving forward every day with greater costs," Strange said. He explained that the state will fund the majority of the project, but currently it is estimated that the county will have to contribute $350,000. The project will not require land to be purchased because officials have surveyed land owned by Harrison Township and found it to be acceptable for the project.

He said the Harrison Township Trustee Advisory Board has committed to paying $100,000, leaving a $250,000 remainder to be paid.

"If we could obtain a commitment for $250,000 from the county, the project could begin," Strange told commissioners. "The Harrison Township Trustee Board is solidly behind this project and is certain it provides an increased safety benefit to the lives and citizens of Harrison County, along with Harrison Township."

Strange said he is working with the Harrison County Community Foundation (HCCF) to see if a grant can be used to help fund a portion of the county's payment and he plans to ask HCCF to contribute $150,000, potentially reducing the county's bill to $100,000. However, he said the timeline is a concern because the facility project is on a "fast track" and may be completed with vendors needing payment before a grant is approved.

The commissioners voted unanimously to send Strange's request to the Harrison County Council for the approval of up to $250,000.

In other business, the commissioners heard a report from Darrell Voelker, executive director of the Harrison County Economic Development Corp. Voelker updated on the county's real estate debt, which he announced during his mid-year update had decreased from around $3 million to $800,000. He explained he had been authorized by the EDC to ask the county for $800,000 to retire the bank debt. As the EDC sells land it currently owns, the organization will pay the county back.

"It's an interest-free loan, and I've requested a 10-year term just because I believe most loans should have a term them," Voelker said. "We would pay back according to getting paid." He said there are multiple projects in progress regarding the sale of real estate owned by the EDC.

"We actually have a purchase agreement that's just about complete with a small piece in Corydon," Voelker explained. "And then there's people, both at Corydon and at Lanesville right now, talking about properties. We believe a sale will come out of that before this year is over."

The commissioners voted 3-0 to send Voelker to the council with his request.

In other business, the commissioners unanimously voted to renew a contract with Anthem as the county's health insurance provider for 2024. The renewal will be at a 12.5% cost increase from 2023.

The next meeting of the Harrison County Board of Commissioners will be Monday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. at the government center in Corydon.