By Josh Mitchell
The Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A plan to use the former county public works building to house the Laramie County Fire District 1 station may go up in flames.
Last year former Chief Aaron Fowler was looking into moving his department into the facility on Fox Farm Road.
Public works recently stopped using the building since it has moved into its new quarters at the Archer Complex east of town.
But Fowler has resigned, and the new chief, Greg Bauer, says there are problems with that plan.
He says the public works building’s location is not good for response times.
Moreover, Bauer said, the building could cost about $500,000 to renovate.
The fire district has a $238,000 State Loan and Investment Board grant to do renovations, and that is not nearly enough money to overhaul the public works building, Bauer said.
He added the grant would go much further if it was used to make upgrades to the existing fire district building on East Allison Road.
Bauer said his biggest responsibility is to make sure that the district’s taxpayers are being served the best they can be.
“I don’t think that’s fair to our taxpayers that we move out of our heavy response area,” Bauer said.
His district has about 26,000 people and encompasses 180 square miles.
By moving to the public works building, response times could go up by four minutes, which Bauer says is significant.
Also, the county’s growth is not in the direction of the public works building but is south and west.
Despite his concerns, he said he has not ruled out using the building. But he added that he needs to do more study.
If the public works facility is used, it would require major renovation, he said.
To make it suitable for the fire district, it would have to have sleeping quarters for males and females, a kitchen, offices, a meeting room and be handicap accessible, he said.
If the district stays in its current station, less work would be needed, he said.
He added that he would like to add sleeping quarters and raise the ceiling in the truck bay to allow room for the ladder truck. That vehicle and the sleeping quarters are now at Fire District 1’s station 2 on Terry Ranch Road.
He said the majority of the district’s calls are closer to station 1.
Laramie County Fire District 1 has 37 firefighters, seven of whom, including the chief, are paid.
Bauer said he expects a final decision next month after the fire district board meets.
County Commissioner Troy Thompson said the county would lease the building to the fire district for $1 year.
He added that he has no problem if the district decides not to use the building, saying fire officials know what is best.
If the district does not use it, Thompson said the commissioners may solicit interest from other county departments. If there is none, the building could be sold on the open market, he added.
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