Nelson County approves interest-free loan for Roseland Rescue Squad HVAC replacement

The Nelson County Board of Supervisors voted to approve an interest-free loan to the Roseland Rescue Squad to replace HVAC units serving the bay area where medications are stored.

Roseland Rescue Squad representative Steve McTire told the board the squad requested a $40,000 warranty loan to replace two units after the old system “apparently caught fire several months ago” and to meet a DEA requirement that stored medications remain temperature regulated. McTire said a $4,000 down payment was included in the request and that the squad had evaluated multiple system options to cover the building and community area.

County staff advised the board that the EMS loan fund balance is $562,084 and that county loan policy sets a four-year term for equipment loans in the $25,000–$60,000 range. The squad had requested a five-year term; supervisors moved to approve the loan as presented but amended the term to the four-year period required by policy. One board member asked whether the squad could handle a shorter monthly payment; McTire replied the squad could handle the payment if the term were shorter.

Supervisor motion and roll-call votes followed. The motion to approve Resolution R2025-44, “Nelson County Board of Supervisors approval of interest-free loan request for Roseland Rescue Squad as amended,” carried on roll call with the supervisors voting in the affirmative.

The board did not attach additional conditions beyond aligning the loan term with the county loan policy. Staff noted the loan will be administered from the EMS loan fund and that any future modifications to the loan policy could be addressed separately.