HendersonCountyEducationHistoryInitiative_

Free Daily Headlines

News

Set your text size: A A A

Board OKs $10M emergency services facility

Over the objection of one commissioner who called the project too expensive, the Henderson County Board of Commissioners authorized an architect to move ahead with plans for a $10 million emergency services headquarters on the Balfour school property on Asheville Highway.


The board voted 4-1 to accept the recommendation from staff to build the consolidated facility for the ambulance service, emergency management and fire marshal office and county rescue squad.
“I think it’s too expensive,” Commissioner Bill Lapsley said before voting no. “I think it can be done substantially cheaper.”
Commissioner Charlie Messer urged his colleagues to move forward.
“We’ve kicked this can down the road a lot the last three or four years,” he said. “I think this is something workable.”
While he voted in favor of the facility, Commissioner Michael Edney warned that borrowing $10 million would take more of the debt capacity the county may need for other projects, including school buildings.
“We’re limiting our options down the road,” he said.
The project will be managed by ClarkNexsen as a “construction manager at risk,” making the architect-engineering firm responsible for finishing the project on time and on budget. Construction cost is $8.8 million. Design fees of $616,000 plus surveying, furniture and other costs bring the total to $10 million. The job should be done by August of 2018.