Committee recommends transferring county-owned station to Stanley Valley VFD

The Hawkins County Commission will consider turning over ownership of the Stanley Valley VFD station to the fire department under the condition that the facility continue to be used as a voting precinct.

On April 8 the commission’s Public Building Committee recommended approval of the property transfer. Mayor Mark DeWitte noted that this was previously proposed with the intent of eliminating any future county spending on property maintenance.

“It kind of stalled out when the previous mayor and the fire chief over there disagreed on whether or not it was going to continue being used as a public access facility for parties and things like that,” DeWitte told the committee Monday. “That, to me, is kind of a crazy point because they’ve got a bathroom that’s not hooked up to anything. You can’t really have a party over there without a bathroom. It’s there, but it’s not usable.”

DeWitte added, “In the meantime they have purchased some property next to it. The last I heard they were putting a septic tank in there in order to hook up the plumbing — at their expense. (The building) doesn’t do us any good. It’s more good for them, and I think they’re willing to take over the maintenance and all the associated costs.”

The committee voted to have a property transfer contract drafted by County Attorney Allen Coup. Commissioner Charlie Thacker suggested that the contract require the SVVFD to allow the building to be used as a voting precinct.

Commissioner Jason Roach also asked the contract state if the property ever ceases to be a fire department it will revert back to the county.

DeWitte said that when the property transfer contract is completed by Coup it will be submitted to the commission for final approval.