The Kimball Fire Department will soon see its location expand.
Fire Chief Rick Wynne was given permission at the July 21 Kimball City Council meeting for the department to purchase a house adjacent to its location. The house will be razed and will be used for parking.
The house, located at 204 Webster Street and owned by Tonia Schindler of Kimball, is vacant and is what Mayor Keith Prunty called "one of our blighted properties."
"The fire department has kind of had issues with this property for a number of years due to its elevation," City Administrator Daniel Ortiz said. "The property is just slightly higher than the fire hall so when we have severe rains or snow melting it run back into the building."
Ironically, when the fire department added on to the south of the fire hall years ago, the dirt they removed was given to their southern neighbor. That dirt was used to elevate the land at 204 Webster, placing it at a higher level than the neighboring properties, including the fire station.
"So actually that is our dirt that is over there anyway," Wynne joked. "We created our own problem here, now we are just trying to fix it."
Issues caused by the backwash include destruction of the wall as well as wet equipment and clothing.
"A couple of years ago when we had that big hail storm we had to replace the metal siding on the south side of the fire hall," Wynne said. "That grade is so much higher that the walls are rusted, and in some places the sheet metal is rusted clear through."
Wynne assured the board that the steel members have not yet been affected but the department would like to remedy the concern before further issues arise.
"The opportunity has presented itself to look at buying the property at a reasonable price," Ortiz said.
Sale price for the property is $4,000 and once it is purchased the structure will be razed, the land will be leveled with neighboring properties and it will then be used for parking when volunteer firemen are called to the station.
"I think right now I have money in my budget that we can get all this done without asking for anything more. We just would like permission to buy it," Wynne stated. "When the guys respond to fires they can get off the street. I was actually told by the state patrol that parking on the yellow curb was against the law. He said he was going to start writing us tickets."
Wynne added that the department would not put extra money into graveling or paving the property, but just wanted it on the level with the adjoining properties.