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Commissioners weigh moving EMA, HAZMAT and sheriff equipment from coroner’s building; ARPA funds eyed for move
Summary
Police, fire and EMA leaders told commissioners the coroner’s building storage arrangement is hindering emergency access; county leaders discussed using ARPA money to relocate equipment and securing sheriff assets in an engineer-owned garage as a quicker, lower-cost option.
County public-safety leaders told commissioners that emergency-response teams and the emergency management agency (EMA) cannot reliably access hazmat and specialized equipment while the items are co-located in the county coroner’s building.
Representatives of the county’s emergency services, hazmat teams and the sheriff’s office said the coroner’s building has limited access during autopsies and other coroner operations and lacks secure, readily accessible storage. Attendees said equipment retrieval was slowed during recent responses because items were behind coroner equipment or otherwise difficult to reach. One fire chief described moving heavy hazmat bags with a dolly while navigating utility lines on the floor.
EMA and hazmat leaders asked the commissioners to approve a phased relocation: first, remove EMA and hazmat equipment from the coroner’s building so those teams have exclusive access; second, relocate sheriff equipment to a separate secured county facility; third, build or adapt a dedicated facility if necessary. County administrators reported there is approximately $300,000 in ARPA money identified for the move but said a full-build cost estimate for a consolidated building had been higher than expected and would likely take more time.
Commissioner and sheriff representatives explored a quicker option: using an existing county-owned engineer’s garage (concrete floor, climate control and restricted access) to store sheriff boats, trailers and vehicles in the short term. The sheriff’s office said equipment must be in a secured, climate-controlled area with rapid access to the lake for dive and water‑rescue operations.
Commissioners instructed staff to pursue three parallel steps: (1) use available ARPA funds to move EMA and hazmat equipment out of the coroner’s building; (2) evaluate the county engineer’s garage and other county facilities as near-term sheriff storage options and structural fit; and (3) return to the board with cost estimates and a timeline. No final procurement or construction decision was made at the meeting.
