By Kelly Smith
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
LISBON, Wis. — Town Chairman Matt Gehrke wants to rent the community room at the Richard Jung Memorial Fire Station to town residents and businesses but it appears he has an uphill battle getting support from the Town Board.
The board agreed Monday night on a 3 to 2 vote to instruct town officials to research the feasibility of renting out the community room to town residents and businesses.
Not-for-profit organizations and community groups are permitted to use the room on the lower level of the Richmond Road fire station at no charge.
Gehrke believes renting the facility to for-profit organizations, businesses and town residents will provide the town with additional revenue.
But a majority of the town supervisors were concerned it provide additional headaches.
Two board members would not go along with the idea.
“I think you are opening the town up for a lot of liability,” said Supervisor Ron Esser.
“It will open up a whole new can of worms. I think there will only be a small percentage of the population and it won’t be worth the headaches,” added Supervisor Dan Fischer.
Supervisor Joe Osterman will be one of the town officials trying to draft a town policy regulating rental of the facility.
“I would be willing to look into, but even if I help write it, there is no guarantee I will vote for it,” said Osterman who initially said he was also opposed to the proposal.
Osterman said that Fire Chief Doug Brahm is willing to go along with the proposal because it might generate some revenues.
But Supervisor Dan Heier, a volunteer lieutenant with the department, indicated the rental program would have to be tightly regulated.
He said the fire department and nonprofit organizations would continue to have priority use of the room.
Heir added the department would probably be using the room about three nights a week for training and the training scheduled for 2010 has already been made.
He said anyone using the room would be responsible for cleaning after the event and added loud and late-night events would not be permitted because fire fighters sleeping quarters are on the next floor above the room.
He said no alcohol would be permitted at events at the fire station.
“In my mind it would have to be for Lisbon businesses or Lisbon residents. I think most of the use would be by residents rather than businesses,” said Gehrke.
“We have a nice $2 million fire station with a community room, let’s use it,” Gehrke added.
Copyright 2009 Journal Sentinel Inc.