CHAFFEE OKS AMBULANCE BUILDING

CHAFFEE -- Plans for a new building to house the office and ambulances of the North Scott County Ambulance District were revealed during a meeting Monday of the Chaffee City Council.

After hearing of the plans, the council approved a request by the ambulance district board of directors for a building permit to construct the building.

Before the meeting, City Clerk Diane Eftink administered the oath of office to Dr. Brad Bader, a dentist who will serve the remaining 14-month term that was held by city councilman Keith Moore. Moore and his wife were killed in a vehicle accident in Oran in January.

The ambulance district plans to construct a 5,000-square-foot wooden frame building on south Highway 77, north of the old Dame Lumber Co.

Ervin Arnzen, a member of the district's board of directors, said the district decided to situate in the south end of town because of easy accessibility to Chaffee and Oran. Also, by being there, Arnzen said the ambulances will not have to pass through the busy West Yoakum-Highway 77 intersection as often.

Arnzen said the building will have space for four ambulances, sleeping rooms for a crew, plus a meeting room and dispatcher's office. "It will be a full, self-contained headquarters for the North Scott County Ambulance District," he said after the meeting.

Arnzen said a not-for-profit corporation, North Scott County EMS, has been set up to handle financing of the new building. Estimated cost of the structure is $100,000.

Arnzen said the corporation will lease the building back to the ambulance district for about 10 years, until it is paid for from ambulance district tax revenues.

Construction will begin as soon as weather permits this spring. The district hopes to move in some time in early July, Arnzen said.

The ambulance district is now operating out of a residence in the Chaffee housing project. A fire in November in the ambulance garage at city hall left it without a home.