By Jason C. Mattox

After eight straight years of requesting construction of sleeping quarters at Fire Station No. 2 and just as many years of denial, Batesville Fire Chief Tim Taylor’s request will finally move to bids, Taylor learned during a work session with the Mayor and Board of Aldermen Wednesday afternoon.

The request for the construction of sleeping quarters began in 2000 as a “wish list” item during annual budget preparation. It was cut from the budget entirely until the last budget cycle when aldermen included $100,000 toward the future construction.

The same financial figure was included in this year’s budget to bring the total to $200,000.

Since this year’s budget was finalized, Taylor and city leaders have been debating on an architect and other issues.

During recent meetings, Mayor Jerry Autrey had told aldermen he had a second architect working on plans free of charge.

Wednesday, Taylor reminded city leaders that the Fire Rating Bureau had expected construction to begin in October.

“This is something that has to get done to keep your fire rating from going from six to a seven,” he said.

The fire rating has a direct impact on property owners’ insurance.

The fire chief presented a set of plans designed by Girault Jones in 2004 for a 3,100-square-foot expansion at Fire Station No. 2, located by Sonic.

“I met with Girault Jones and he estimated the cost of the expansion between $350,000-$360,000,” Taylor said. “I have made some changes to the original plans that I think will save us some money, but we really won’t know until we send the plans and specs out for bids.”

Taylor said the architect agreed to update the plans at no additional cost to the city.

“I understand the mayor may want us to look at another set of plans, and that is fine, but keep in mind the rating bureau is looking at us pretty close,” he said.

The mayor presented a schematic for a 1,900-square-foot metal building.

“We have been talking about this for a lot of years,” Ward 2 Alderman Rufus Manley said. “Are we going to actually do this, or are we going to keep talking about it?”

Ward 1 Alderman Bill Dugger said he was ready to move to the next step in the process, which is bidding.

“We have invested a lot in this project, and I am ready to move on,” Ward 4 Alderman Bobbie Jean Pounders said. “I appreciate the mayor trying to save us some money, but we would not be getting the same product.”

Aldermen voted 4-0 to put the plans and specs out for bids.

“I want to go out there and dig the footings right now,” Taylor jokingly told a reporter after the meeting.