That was already paid for by volunteers at Sparta Volunteer Fire Department?
Appears so…
From The Free Lance-Star: Less is more for Caroline station:
Estimates in the report put a $700,000 price tag on 2 acres and almost $2 million for the station itself. Designs will cost $200,000 and a construction contingency of $265,300 is included in the proposed budget.
The Caroline Progress also reported that the $700,000 was to purchase land as well (I can’t locate a copy of that edition [might have been used to house train a dog]).
From the November 9, 2005 minutes of the Emergency Services Commission (ESC) on the proposed Station Replacement Policy:
Example: Some stations that need to be replaced have already purchased land in different locations for a new station. Sparta station 4 at the top of the list. Based on the criteria in the program, if it meets that criteria it will be one of the first to be replaced, because of the fact that is sits in a flood plain and has had damage from rising waters, they have outgrown the facility and it is a dated facility. They have purchased property on the top of the hill across from Salem Baptist Church, but they want a stake in the building.
Of course, that isn’t the funniest part of the minutes (Ibid):
The Board did set aside $1 million dollars in the 2006 budget for Sparta’s building, but turned it over to the Commission, we need to act quickly so we do not lose the funds.
From the September 13, 2006 minutes of the ESC:
SPARTA FIRE STATION’S $1,000,000 IS STILL IN THE CIP AND THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO START THE PROCESS FOR A NEW STATION. INCLUDED AN EXTRA $500,000 DUE TO THE 1 MILLION ESTIMATE BEING SEVERAL YEARS OLD.
ARCHITECT FOR STATION REPLACEMENT: CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES HAVE SPLIT INTO TWO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. GAVE PUBLIC WORKS AND MR. RAMSEY THE ABILITY TO OVERSEE COUNTY BUILDINGS. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR PERCY ASHCRAFT ASKED MR. RAMSEY TO OVERSEE THE ARCHITECT FOR THE SPARTA BUILDING. MIKE BROWN STATED THAT HE HOPED THEY FOUND AND ARCHITECT WHO UNDERSTOOD FIRE-RESCUE AND NEEDS OF PERSONNEL.
SPARTA IS OUTSIDE OF THE STATION REPLACEMENT POLICY AND WILL NOT BE HELD UP. ARCHITECT CAN DESIGN A BUILDING THAT CAN BE REUSED BUT MAY TAKE TOO LONG FOR THIS BUILDING. MAY LOOK AT A DESIGN BUILD FOR THE SPARTA FIRE STATION.
795 days later and still no Sparta fire station…