town Mayor defends decision to close Moldy EMS building

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Monday, March 11, 2002 town, Kentucky

News-Graphic News

Mayor defends decision to close EMS building

By KEVIN HALL

3/10/02

town Mayor Everette Varney defended his decision to close the

emergency services building to the city council during Thursday night's

meeting.

" The decision was made for one reason, that being the health and welfare of

our firefighters and emergency personnel, " said Varney, reading from a

prepared text.

Varney and County Judge-Executive Lusby closed the building on

South Broadway after employees complained about possible health problems

brought on by mold and pigeons in the facility.

An environmental firm tested the air quality in the building in November and

concluded there was no immediate health risk, Varney said.

Parsons Engineering, who has been working with the city at Briar Hill,

conducted another test, and their results supported the original report, he

said.

On Feb. 25, town Fire Chief Bob Hendricks told Varney the building's

workers were experiencing " adverse health effects, " the mayor said. Carbon

monoxide detectors in the facility found high levels in excess of OSHA

standards, Varney said.

Councilman Bias Tilford questioned the mayor's sudden decision during a Feb.

28 workshop.

" Why couldn't we have waited maybe a couple days until all the telephones

and everything were in order? " Tilford asked. Central Communications,

formerly housed in the building, could have missed calls and jeopardized

citizens' health.

Varney assured the council that no emergency calls were missed during the

shut down and subsequent moves. The dispatch is now operating in the new 911

Center on Bourbon Street.

" That decision has proven to be the right one, " Varney said. " Our employees

are in a safer environment, and there were no interruptions of our emergency

services. "

Tilford remained unchanged.

" That little speech, it was a smooth move, " he said Friday. " I still stand

by my statement that they should have waited a few days before the move.

They weren't 100 percent operational. "