July 2, 1990

White River station

       Controversy continues to follow the White River Volunteer Fire Department in trying to build a new fire station. White River Fire Chief Howard Bennis expresses enthusiasm over finding a site for a new fire station in the Meridian Parke Shopping Center off Fairview Road. Greenwood Volunteer Fire Chief Paul Kite isn’t so keen about the project. Kite questions the wisdom of building a White River fire station inside Greenwood city limits within about a mile and a half of Greenwood’s Fire Station No. 2 on Fry Road. Kite calls White River’s decision indicative, of a “provincial, nearsighted” attitude that cuts off serving a good portion of White River’s district. “Two stations within a mile of each other doesn’t seem to be the best economical way to serve the community we are to protect,” Kite said. “If we truly want to be managers of public money, we need to look beyond our narrow areas. If not, we aren’t being the best stewards of public monies.” Bennis conceded that the new fire station site is within Greenwood city limits but only because the city annexed the land after the township’s fire district organized in 1986. Bennis said the location is well within the district’s boundaries and is a midway point between the boundaries, which are the county lines on the west and north, Stones Crossing Road on the south, and the 1986 Greenwood city limits east. Bennis also said the site is well suited to service the district’s northern end, which accounts for 50 percent of al fire department runs. “It bothers me a bit that they (Greenwood Fire Officials) don’t quite understand the jurisdictional situation. We have legal responsibilities to uphold just as they do,” Bennis said. The new fire station location is on the southwest corner of Meridian Parke Drive and Fairview Road. Fire department members signed an agreement last Monday to by the property for $200,000. Closing is scheduled to occur before July 14. Acquisition of the property would end a year -long search to find a new station site. Last year, White River Department members attempted to buy the 33.3acre Schreckengast property at 3780 W. Fairview Road with plans to convert the into a fire station. But neighbors objected to the plans, and the proposal was defeated at an August meeting of the Johnson County Board of Zoning Appeals. The new location is about a mile east of the Schreckengast property. The new site carries the proper zoning allowing a fire station, so fire department members won’t have to seek approval from any zoning board to build there. Site plans would need approval from the Greenwood Plan Commission. Plans call for the construction of a three bay fire station with living quarters for up to eight people. Construction costs are estimated at $300,000. Bennis would like to award bids on the project Aug. 5.and start construction immediately. If the project goes well, Bennis hopes to be in the new fire station 90 days after construction begins. The fire department would maintain its current fire station on Runyon Road. The fire department will obtain a commercial loan to purchase the property. Various forms of financing are being considered to fund the building of the station, including a lease purchase agreement. Taxes collected in the fire district would go toward retiring the projects debt. The Fairview Road property is one of two sites fire department members have sought to buy in recent months. In late April, the fire department purchased 4.5 acres at Smith Valley Road and 37. The fire department currently leases the property to a White River Township farmer. Construction of a fire station there wouldn’t take place for about five years, Bennis said. Fire department members also are looking toward purchasing another piece of property near State Road 135 and Olive Branch Road. Construction wouldn’t take place there for seven to ten years after the purchase, Bennis said. Before any new stations are built, fire department members look to purchase new equipment to serve the district better. Meanwhile, Kite talks about the long-range goal if possibly consolidating the county’s firefighting capacities. He says fire departments in some western states in the country have done that. Kite sees consolidation as a means of curbing duplication of services and improving fire service to a growing county. Until that day comes, if ever, Kite wants to maintain good relations with the White River Fire Department. Bennis sees a good relationship continuing between the two departments. “We have always had a good working relationship with (Greenwood) and I don’t see any serious difficulty there,” Bennis said.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)
 
 
 

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