Council discusses fire hall

• City of Worthington

Worthington City Hall (Brian Korthals/Daily Globe)

Talk about it

WORTHINGTON — The Worthington City Council agreed during a special meeting Tuesday to meet with Nobles County Commissioners before continuing discussions on a proposed new fire station.

Fire Chief Rick Von Holdt gave the council an update on the station’s development — which is in its earliest stages — though the council still plans to pursue the project.

The only possible funding source so far is an Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which Public Safety Director Mike Cumiskey has applied for in the amount of $2.8 million. The city may also consider using hospital sale funds to partially finance construction.

Proposed locations include the former Campbell’s Soup lot and the current location on Third Avenue.

Von Holdt has talked with fire departments in New Prague, Austin and Sioux Center, Iowa, to help determine the best plan for Worthington.

“I don’t see where a second location would benefit us,” he reported after noting that Sioux Center has two fire stations.

Additionally, a newly built station would not lower fire insurance costs — only adding more firefighters would do that, Cumiskey said. The city could realize utility cost savings by partnering with another entity, specifically the ambulance service.

“I think it would be a good mix. We’re cross-training with the ambulance right now. … We share facilities and information,” Von Holdt said.

The council also discussed uses for the current fire station if a new one were to be built. Cumiskey suggested the possibility of using it as a senior (or community) center.

“It does have a central location, it does have a residential feel to it,” he said.

“Is there a downside to combining with another entity?” questioned Alderman Lyle Ten Haken.

“Parking,” answered Von Holdt. “We’ve got the (First Lutheran) church right next to us. … you’re always going to have a full parking lot” if a combination facility were built on the current fire station site, he explained.

However, Cumiskey said, a good building design could allow several entities to operate efficiently side-by-side. A fire station, ambulance dispatch station with heliport, senior center and library could all be combined in one or two facilities; county commissioners have said they would like to partner with the city on a joint senior center/county library complex.

As the commissioners develop plans for a new county library, the city needs to know whether that will be combined with another facility.

The council asked City Administrator Craig Clark to meet with the county commissioners to determine how council members should proceed.

“We need to get to a point where we can move forward,” Alderman Ron Wood said. “I think until we sit face-to-face with the county commissioners … we’re somewhat held hostage.”

In other business, the council Tuesday:

• Voted to make a $1,500 contribution to the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce for the King Turkey Day festival. The money will be used to advertise the city’s assets.

• Named Ron Wood as the official city delegate to the Cuero, Texas, Turkeyfest.

• Continued discussions on the need for federal immigration reform.

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