Mold keeps firehouse quiet

Mt. Pleasant firefighters will likely spend six more months in a temporary location while city leaders seek options for funding an estimated $100,000 mold remediation project at the towns fire hall.

The Mt. Pleasant Fire Department, formerly at 1158 N. Main St., was vacated in November after invasive mold was found throughout the building. Operations were relocated to a facility at 1540 Trilogy Lane, about three miles north of the former location.

Mt. Pleasant Fire Chief Tim Smith estimated it could take between 6-8 months before firefighters return to the Main Street building.

When we first started talking about this, we knew it would be approximately a year, Smith said. Right now, everything is kind of moving at a snails pace, but it is moving forward.

USDA Rural Development Area Director Faye McEwen said Mt. Pleasant is preparing to submit applications for two separate programs that would fund the fire hall mold remediation.

Rural Development has a Community Facilities program that would provide grant money for the project, McEwen said. Health care, education and public safety projects including fire halls are given priority in those grant processes, according to the USDA website.

Depending on how much money is awarded through the grant, the city will then apply for a Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program to fund the remaining balance, McEwen said. If the application is approved, Rural Development may award up to $350,000 to a municipal utility company, like the Mt. Pleasant Power System, which can then administer the funds to the city.

If Mt. Pleasant pays that (money) back, then that would set up a revolving loan fund that Mt. Pleasant Power would have available, she said.

The city could access that pool of money for future economic development projects, including in the private sector, McEwen said.

The South Central Tennessee Development District is assisting the city in applying for the loans and grants. Applications must be submitted by the end of June, McEwen said.

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Mold keeps firehouse quiet