Minutes 10-06-2016 Fire Chief's Assoc.

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8 • Create a web site or page on the county web site for scheduling and requesting use of the facilities Next Steps? • Further discussion on needs, Logistics, insurance, funding, permitting, etc... • MOU/MOA with Efland for use of their land • Locate property for south side site • Open conversations with Alamance Orange, OWASA or Hillsborough for Water Supply depending on site locations Chapel Hill Chief Matt Sullivan said there is a law enforcement issue to this topic, and a site such as this would be of value to all the emergency responders of Orange County. He said Durham Tech also has a place at the table in this discussion, since it does the majority of the training. Phillip Nasseri said Durham Tech would not have a training program if not for Chapel Hill's older training facility. He said the relationship with Durham Tech has been bumpy over the years on this topic. He said if Orange County would support this, he felt that Durham Tech would come on board to support a new training facility. Commissioner Dorosin referred to the suggested three-site model and asked if this is the ideal, or is it the most practical option due to size of the county. Jeff Cabe said this is the ideal since other one-site options would make it difficult to for County departments to train together on a regular basis. He said training in one location would leave districts without staff to provide emergency services, or cause a delay in completing the training, as staff would have to travel in groups to be trained. He said ideally the sites would be geographically located in the northeast, central-west and south of the County. Commissioner Price asked if Durham Tech has a burn facility. Jeff Cabe said no, it uses the Durham City Fire Department, where it also runs the academies. He would prefer that Orange County run the proposed training facilities. Sheriff Blackwood said he is supportive of a three-site training facility. He said Durham Tech does not even have showers. He said if a facility is built in Orange County, it should be run and managed by Orange County. Commissioner Jacobs asked Sheriff Blackwood if he has settled on an indoor firing range. Sheriff Blackwood said property is being acquired by a federal seizure in the Cedar Grove area near the Community Center. He said if the land can be acquired, it is 17 acres with many options. He said outside of a firing range, a playground, community garden, classrooms or shelter could be established. He said this land was previously used to sell drugs, and repurposing it for positive use would send a powerful message. He said there would be some cost, but the federal agencies involved are in favor of the idea, and all involved will need to think about how to acquire the land. Commissioner Pelissier asked if the overall capital costs for the training facilities are known. Jeff Cabe said a residential style burning building would cost about $100,000. He said on the commercial side, it would be in the $200,000-$300,000 range, because land would have to be purchased and gas piped in. Commissioner Pelissier asked if the $800,000 capital costs on the PowerPoint slide would cover most of the expenses. Jeff Cabe said yes, especially if property could be donated.