Plans to build a new fire station to replace Station 3 on Palestine Road are being hashed out in the city of Picayune.
The new station will be built on land transferred to the city by the Secretary of State’s office, totaling about 21 acres, according to a release from the Secretary of State’s office. The land became property of the state after it was forfeited for tax reasons. Fire Chief Keith Brown said the city’s attorney, Nathan Farmer, has some legal matters to tend to on the property to make things official, such as turning the tax forfeiture patents into an official deed.
The release states that value of the two parcels is estimated to be $83,770.
Brown said the new station is needed to replace the aging Station 3 on Palestine due to that building’s current condition.
“It’s deplorable,” Brown said.
It’s currently the oldest fire station in the city, and has already undergone a number of renovations to make it suitable, such as extending the truck bay to accommodate today’s larger fire trucks and adding a day room to create more room for firefighters.
“We’ve just pieced it together as much as we could and it’s time for a new one,” Brown said.
Additionally that building sits on 16th section land, meaning the city pays a lease to the school district.
When the new facility is finished, the city is considering asking the Pearl River County SPCA if they would be interested in taking ownership of the old fire station, which is right next door to the local animal shelter.
The property the new station will be built on is at the very end of Goodyear Boulevard adjacent to Roper Supply. A metal building currently sits on the property, which will be torn down, Brown said.
Tax dollars will not be used to build the new station, Brown said. Instead, funds to construct the new fire station will come from fire insurance rebates, which have been retiring the city’s debt on their fire trucks. Brown said the last payment on their fleet will be made this year, freeing up those funds for this construction.
A completion date is not known at this point since the project is still in the planning phase. But, Brown said the new station will include four bedrooms with two bathrooms, a day room, kitchen, dining area, porch and a truck bay capable of housing two fire trucks. The total price of the project will be dependent on the bids that come in, but Brown said there is a budget of how much they plan to spend.
So far, the plan is to build a metal building with brick facade. The heated and cooled area will be about 3,224 square feet, with a 1,440 square foot truck bay.
Two acres of the site will be used for the building. Brown said nothing has been set in stone for the remaining acreage since an environmental study would be required to assess the low lying areas. However, there is a possibility a training ground could be constructed on the land as a long-term project.