Commission OKs work for new firefighter training building

Laurens County’s new $1 million burn building for firefighter training has been delivered. Now it just needs a foundation.

The County Commission voted Tuesday to award a separate contract to Dublin Construction Co. to build the foundation. Estimates for the work had come in at about $102,000. However, due to the detailed nature of the project, county officials approached Dublin Construction and gained an experienced company and saved money, with the cost at $83,450.  

“It’s a really intricate-type building pad for the project,” County Administrator Bryan Rogers said. “It needed to be someone with experience in concrete work.”

Commission Chairman Jimmy Rogers said he agreed after looking at the plans for the project.

“Not just anybody can go out there and do what the county needs done,” he said.

The commission voted in April to approve a new burn building at Station 10 on Valambrosia Road, replacing the old training building on the county property near Laurens County 911 and the law enforcement center. The county plans to cover the costs with a $500,000 state grant and proceeds from the SPLOST, the local penny sales tax that can only be used for capital projects.

WHP Training Towers was awarded the project after submitting the only bid that met the specifications outlined in the county’s request for proposals. The company delivered the new burn building last week, Bryan Rogers said,

The burn building is used by both county and city of Dublin firefighters for live training in suppressing real fire. In addition to the benefit of better trained firefighters, the burn building helps save property owners money. The training center helps fire departments earn better ratings from the Insurance Services Office, and better scores help lower insurance rates for homeowners and businesses.

WHP Training’s bid, unlike the others, was for a multi-floored facility, similar to the current building, which contributes to the better insurance scores.

Also Tuesday, the commission:

• Voted to change its upcoming meeting schedule due to Election Day and the upcoming holiday season.

The board canceled its Nov. 3 meeting so as not to interfere on election night at the Board of Elections, which shares the courthouse annex building with the commissioners. The commission will meet on Nov. 17, as scheduled for its second meeting of the month, but at 5:30 p.m. instead of its regular time of noon.

In December, the commission also plans to hold just one monthly meeting, at 6 p.m. on Dec. 1.

• Voted to appoint Doug Ward to the Laurens County Board of Assessors. Ward will fill the unexpired term of Matt Lake, who resigned to move away. The commissioners had appointed Sam Beall to Lake’s vacated seat, but Beall informed the board he would be unable to serve due to other commitments.