Fire Department almost back home

MT. PLEASANT After more than a year, the citys fire department could be back at its home by February, an environmental official said.

The Mt. Pleasant Fire Department, formerly at 1158 N. Main St., was vacated in November 2013 after invasive mold was found throughout the building. Operations were relocated to a facility at 1540 Trilogy Lane, about three miles north of the former location.

The mold removal project was estimated to cost upwards of $100,000.

City commissioners approved Nashville-based Cool Air Solutions LLCs bid of $21,173 for HVAC system and other improvements at the fire station during a meeting this week.

A-1 Heating entered a bid of $11,933, which did not meet all the the project specifications, Byron Taylor, Taylor Environmental Services president, said. No local companies submitted any bids, he added.

Sometimes your cheapest bid is not always your best bid, Mayor Bob Shackelford said.

Taylor, who is also an environmental engineer, worked with the city at no cost to find a feasible solution to the departments mold problem. Taylor came to Mt. Pleasant to help clean up a series of residential properties that were contaminated with lead.

The fire departments old HVAC system was malfunctioning and allowing water to build up, creating mold build up, Taylor said. The $20,000 price tag came in around Taylors estimate, he said.

The project will include replacing and cleaning duct work and installing new air filters.

I have looked at the various alternatives, and I feel that cleaning is a cost-effective way of dealing with that, Taylor said to Commissioner George Vestals question about whether the ducts should be replaced.

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Fire Department almost back home