Council discusses ambulance barn

The Whitehall Town Council is looking for proposals on what to do with the Ambulance Barn located at 207 West Legion.

At their regular meeting Monday night, the Council approved to advertise requests for proposals on the space that was most recently used by the Community Beacon of Hope Inc. Ambulance Service. Town Attorney Ed Guza and Deputy Town Attorney Elizabeth Musick will draft the advertisement to meet legal specifications.

Mayor Dale Davis said people want to know what they are going to do with the building, and asked permission to advertise for a potential lease or purchase of the building. Davis added once they get the proposals back, they could review them and see what is best for the community.

Musick said because a Rural Development Loan still exists on the building, if they chose to lease only 25 percent could be used by a for profit business. She said the other 75 percent must be leased to a non-profit organization. Musick said some of the examples the USDA has approved acceptable non-profits are health care facilities, public facilities and utilities.

Musick stated if the town decides to sell, there was a contingency placed by the Ladies of the Country Store (when they pledged $50,000 to the building), that it could not be approved without a unanimous, not majority, vote of the Council.

Musick suggested the possibility of moving the town offices to the building. She said there would be a lot of benefits of moving to that space, adding they would have the restrictions of the current loan and would not need a unanimous vote to lease or sell the building located at 2 N. Whitehall St.

Council member Mack Smith also discussed the possibility of moving the town office, as well as researching to see if selling the building to would pay off the loan on the ambulance barn. Musick said they could also use money from a potential lease of the current town hall to pay the monthly loan for the ambulance barn.

Town Clerk/Treasurer Summer Fellows said the amount left on the current Rural Development Loan is around $85,000, and another loan for the building with Rocky Mountain Bank is a little under $188,000

OTHER BUSINESS

In her report to the Council, Musick stated she has been in contact with the attorney for CBOH and was informed they are prepared to pay the town what is owed for unpaid rent and mileage. She stated CBOH is currently waiting for Medicaid and hoping to pay it in one lump sum before October 1.

Fellows said in her report that the Council still needs to schedule a budget hearing, but they are close to finishing budget and it should be done and ready to send off by October 1. She said they would also need to meet on a Tuesday in October because of Columbus Day.

Public Works Director Kory Klapan told the Council that most of the chip sealing has been complete, and the remaining work will be completed later this week or early next week.