lcherald.com: Presho VFD receives loan from Rural Development for fire house

By Lucy Halverson
Lyman County Herald

Despite last week’s set back in construction of the Presho firehouse, crews from Western Winds Construction and Devine Concrete made rapid progress in construction this week.

Jason Fees, project foreman for Western Winds, stated last Wed. at the monthly construction meeting, that work might be about three days behind schedule following the collapse of the framework on Sunday, Oct. 26 due to strong winds. Fees stated that the sill plates and some wall studs had to be replaced following the collapse but much of the wood will be recycled and used for the interior walls. Very little was discarded he added.

According to Fees, the bricklayer is scheduled to arrive on Nov. 10 and he expects that with the good weather and progress made last week, they should be ready for the brickwork along the south, east and west exterior walls.

The five-inch concrete floor has been completed and work continues on sheeting the outside walls. The crew should start setting rafters this week.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director Jafar Karim visited the Presho Firehouse construction site Wednesday afternoon to view the progress of the building and present a community facility direct loan of $250,000 to local firemen.

“Protection of life, safety and property are services that cannot be taken for granted or ignored until they are needed,” said USDA Rural Development State Director Karim. “First responders like the Presho Volunteer Fire Department depend upon willing and able volunteers, reliable equipment and a building that will protect that equipment and allow the fire fighters to do their job. Quite simply, that equipment and building aren’t possible for volunteer forces without the availability of financing, such as our low interest loans to complement other resources.”

The federal loan will be supplemented with a community development block grant (CDBG) of $207,500 plus the Presho firemen’s contributions of nearly $38,000 to fund the expected construction cost of $495,014 for the 70 feet by 120 feet fire house. The new facility will replace the existing fire house that was built in 1948, with additions added in 1981 and 2001. The facility will allow enough bay storage for all the department’s vehicles, including space for the Lyman County ambulance stationed in Presho, along with plenty of equipment storage and training space.

Presho Fire Chief Donnie Manger believes the new fire house will have an impact on the entire community. “In addition to providing Presho with a new fire house, the building will also offer a community meeting room, complete with a kitchen, for use by the public,” said Manger. “We would not have been able to undertake this project without the help of the CDGB grant and the USDA Rural Development loan. We appreciate all donations from the community and will continue our local fund raising efforts to help finance this project,” added Manger.

Others visiting the construction site were USDA Rural Development Area Director David Waisanen, Specialist Brian Ring, Sen. John Thune’s Economic Development Advisor Benjamin Ready and project architect Jim Schramm.