Supervisors keep Staunton fire station

VERONA – Augusta County supervisors voted Wednesday to keep the Company 10 fire station on Richmond Road in Staunton, and deferred any decision about building a Riverheads fire and rescue station until more information could be obtained.

Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Gerald Garber said it is important to assess the needs of Company 10.

Company 10 serves Augusta County and answers Staunton fire calls a short distance from the station. The station is located close to the Frontier Culture Museum and Interstate 81.

Supervisors will travel to the station during their October staff briefing to get a sense of what upgrades the facility needs to operate in the future.

Pastures Supervisor Tracy Pyles expressed concerns about the hundreds of calls the station makes for Staunton.

“We should look at the costs,’’ said Pyles, who questioned what the county was getting in return.

He asked that the board table the recommendation of the emergency services committee to leave Company 10 in Staunton, and get all the facts before making the decision.

Another possible consideration was moving and building a new station near the 262 interchange.

South River Supervisor David Beyeler said the current Richmond Road location is close to planned development along U.S. 250, including a manufactured home development, Augusta Woods. The station is also in close proximity to Augusta Marketplace, a planned one-million square foot commercial development in Verona.

And the city of Staunton is planning a commercial development for the current Western State Hospital site.

The board voted 6-1 to keep the station where it is.

The board also voted to table any final decision on a Riverheads fire and rescue station.

Garber said there are too many issues that must be addressed about a Riverheads station, including the exact location, how the station would be staffed and how the station would work with other county agencies.

Garber said he hopes more of these questions could be answered by the time the board meets in mid-October.

A preliminary cost estimate on a Riverheads station is just under $800,000.

Riverheads Supervisor Nancy Sorrells said a prime location for the station would be near the Riverheads schools area.

The area is close to Interstate 81, and several residential developments.