Beasley voices concerns about costs for TK Fire House
By Ellen Williams SA Reporter

William Beasley

A matter that brought on animated discussion at the May 12 Washington County Commission meeting was the Fire House Grant for Thyssen- Krupp.

The proposed fire house will be paid for through Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) grants, therefore there is no cost to Washington County for the construction. However, William "Termite" Beasley of District 3 believes strongly that there will be hidden costs to the county, down the road, after the fire house is completed.

As part of the state's "incentive plan" to lure TK to the upper Mobile County location, TK was promised a fire house with trained staff to protect their industrial investment.

Judge Charles Singleton said he was recently in a meeting with representatives from the Alabama Regional Tombigbee Planning Commission which is handling the application and doing the paper work for the fire house.

It is necessary for the county commission to give permission for the fire house construction. The judge said a concern of his about this fire house grant was its possible interference with the proposed Washington County Sewerage Authority which will being going through some of the same channels to secure funding. "I have been assured that this (fire house grant) will not interfere with grants for the sewerage system.

"Well, I am not for putting it (fire house) down there. We (Washington County) will get nothing out of it."

Singleton said Washington County will get either a deed to the couple of acres or a 99-year lease. "Before it's over, it will cost us. They are just looking out for Mobile County. Didn't they promise us a school? Look what happened to that. Mobile County got it." Beasley insisted.

Also, as part of the state's incentive plan to lure TK to this area, they were promised an on-site school to be affiliated with the Alabama two-year community college system. The Washington County Commission had been told by officials at Alabama Southern that the school would be built within Washington County. But as it turned out, Mobile County got the training school and Bishop State Community College will administer the complex.

Commissioner Allen Bailey asked, "Are they going to staff the fire house?"

"I told them I'd go to the Washington County Firefighters Association and ask for volunteers. I did remind them that every fire department in Washington County is run and staffed strictly by volunteers," Singleton replied.

Beasley continued, "Are they (ADECA) going to build the road to the fire house?"

Bailey indicated that improvement to the present Paul Bayou Road which leads to the proposed site was part of the state's incentive plan, as well.

Beasley insisted, "They have told us a bunch of stuff to get us to help them out. It's going to cost us something, you wait and see." Plans do not call for any of the TK industrial complex to sit within the confines of Washington County which means Washington County will get no ad valorum taxes.

Commissioner Hilton Robbins, who is in favor of the fire house, stated, "They're going to build it whether we approve or not."

Judge Singleton said he has asked questions about what type of construction TK has at other sites or what kind of training program they require firemen to have. He said that no one seems to have any answers to any of those questions.

Robbins offered the resolution; Bailey made the motion; Johnson seconded. These three voted for the resolution. Beasley voted in opposition.

Reader Comments

No comments have been posted. Be the first!

Other Stories With Comments:
Article	Comments
Reader responds to 'wet-dry' column	1
Area Obituaries	1
Lounge license denied in split vote	1