Commissioners in N.C. to Receive EMS Study

Feb. 05--The Caldwell County Board of Commissioners will be receiving a financial report regarding a potential new home for emergency medical services during its 5:30 p.m. meeting Monday night at the City-County Chambers in Lenoir.

The board has been look at moving EMS operations from West Avenue in downtown Lenoir to the former Belk building at the Lenoir Mall off Morganton Boulevard. At the end of last year, the commissioners agreed to put up $5,000 in refundable earnest money in order to conduct due diligence at the mall site, which recently was the home to AMP/RTI. The parcel currently is being held by First Citizens Bank.

The commissioners also have sought cost estimates for building a new base.

According to a report that will be delivered by Caldwell County Finance Officer Tony Helton, purchasing the portion of the mall property would be $560,000. Renovations to the 70,000-square-foot space have been estimated at another $440,000.

In contrast, building a 16,000-square-foot facility with $100-per-square-foot construction expense would cost the county $1.6 million. Along with the necessary land purchase, the total estimated cost would be $2 million.

The report for a new construction cites an 11,000-square-foot EMS base that recently was built in Lincoln County for $1.1 million.

Other items on the agenda include public hearings to provide economic incentives for two proposed job-creation projects, along with the authorization for the Caldwell County Tax Department to advertise outstanding 2011 tax liens.

Copyright 2012 - News-Topic, Lenoir, N.C.