HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Reno County Commissioners Tuesday approved the $5,000 purchase of a lot in Turon with plans for a new fire station for Reno County Fire District 7 to be constructed there.
The existing station was built in 1947 with an addition in 2000.
An upgrade for the current station had been approved in the 2022 Capital Improvement Plan, but due to limitations, it is unable to house the size of modern fire equipment.
“With all the equipment and the size necessary to meet the requirements, they are just too big, too large to fit in the normal length that the old buildings are,” Commissioner Ron Hirst said.
Bridge Replacements
Commissioners also approved several items related replacement of three county bridges. This includes inspection agreements related to the bridge on 69th Ave. two miles north and a half mile west of Willowbrook, an engineering and surveying contract and agreement for funding of replacement of the Little Arkansas River bridge on Victory Road two miles south and a half mile east of Buhler, and a contract with L&M Contractors for replacement of a bridge on Sylvia Road over the North Fork Ninnescah River.
The Kansas Department of Transportation is providing the entire construction cost of the Victory Road bridge up to $820 thousand.
