To prepare for the renovation of Owensboro Fire Department’s current training facility, City Commissioners on Tuesday approved the purchase the adjacent ABC Rental Center property for $350,000.
With the purchase, the city will own the entire block from Parrish Avenue to 14th Street and J.R. Miller Boulevard to Daviess Street.
The decision comes after an evaluation found the training facility is not large enough for the scope of their renovation project.
“This provides the footprint that we need to adequately serve as the new training center,” City Manager Nate Pagan said during Tuesday’s City Commission meeting.
In other business, commissioners approved plans for the White Flag Events. White Flag Events are declared when the nighttime windchill goes below 15°F and a facility is opened for homeless individuals to be protected during the harsh conditions.
The approved ordinance states that the city will be in charge of liability insurance, security and bus tickets to Owensboro Christian Church. In previous years, St. Benedicts served individuals during the events but last year Owensboro Christian Church stepped in as the permanent host.
The Pitino Shelter also provides meals for the people staying the night. All in all, the cost according to Pagan is “relatively minor,” never exceeding $3,000.
Mayor Tom Watson also proclaimed Oct. 28 the National First Responders Day as a response to the work that first responders do.
“I urge all citizens to join us as we commemorate the heroic acts of men and women who are the first on the scene of an emergency and risked their lives to save others,” Watson said.
