Corbin city leaders vow to close, sell East Corbin Fire Station

Corbin City Commissioners voted Monday to close the East Corbin Fire Station and sell it some time in the near future.

The days are numbered for the East Corbin Fire Station.

At Monday’s meeting of the Corbin City Commission, the commissioners unanimously approved a motion to declare the station on Master Street as surplus property and sell at auction.

The station is a former gas station that the city purchased and renovated in the 1960s. Corbin Fire Chief Barry McDonald said flooding of the underpass on Roy Kidd Ave. and trains blocking the crossing prior to the construction of the overpass on Master Street made the station necessary to ensure firefighters could respond to calls in east Corbin.

With the overpass in place, McDonald said firefighters leaving the station on South Main Street can reach anywhere in the department’s coverage area within seven minutes.

McDonald added that he has measured the distances to the edge of the coverage area at five miles from the main station, noting that Cobblestone Subdivision on Ohler Road and Corbin Primary School are furthest from the main station. However, the two stations are eight-tenths of a mile apart, which McDonald said makes little, if any difference in response times.

"Shutting down that station will not affect the department’s ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating," McDonald said.

McDonald noted the department will have to purchase bunk beds to accommodate the two additional firefighters at the main station. There are six firefighters on duty at any given time. In addition, the city will need to construct some type of space for the two pumper trucks and the extra hoses that are housed at the East Corbin Fire Station.

"When there is a call, everybody runs on it," McDonald said when asked if there is a procedure in place for paging out units from the two fire stations.

McDonald said no date has been set for the station to be shut down.

Before the property can be sold, City Attorney Bob Hammons said it will be necessary to have it appraised. Following that, the commissioners must determine whether they want to sell the property through sealed bids or live auction. In addition, the commissioners must determine whether it is to be an absolute auction or whether there will be a reserve.

In other business the commission:

• Appointed Mark Daniel to replace Chris Hart on the Corbin Utilities Commission

• Recognized Corbin Police Officer Coy Wilson who has been promoted to the rank of sergeant

• Authorized City Manager Bill Ed Cannon to advertise for bids for the paving of Bacon Creek Road.

• Authorized Cannon to advertise to fill the position of Main Street Manager

• Proclaimed the week of May 16-20 as "Operation Sharing Week" in Corbin