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Board tells manager to craft agreement to use coal-ash fund for Moncure fire training center
Summary
The board directed county staff to work with the Moncure Fire Department on an agreement to use Moncure coal-ash settlement funds to support a proposed training facility, with the department estimating a budget below $600,000.
The Chatham County Board of Commissioners voted April 15 to direct county staff to draft an agreement with the Moncure Fire Department to explore using county Moncure coal-ash settlement funds to build a training facility at Station 8.
Chief Robert Shai asked the board for support from the county’s Moncure coal-ash fund to construct a hands-on training center at the Moncure station on Old U.S. 1. The department presented renderings and a cost estimate: a modular facility built from shipping containers, a loop road and hydrant for apparatus exercises, and an estimated total project budget that the chief said could be completed for under $600,000 based on local contracting.
County staff told the board roughly $1 million remained available in the coal-ash fund after previous park and utility allocations. Commissioners asked for more detail about stewardship of the fund and monitoring costs before allocating money. County staff also noted the fund was established to benefit the area affected by the Moncure coal-ash disposition.
Commissioners then instructed the county manager to work with the fire chief to draft a funding agreement and return to the board with terms. The motion passed by voice vote after a motion, second and brief discussion. Commissioners and staff emphasized the proposed facility’s potential to improve training access for volunteer and career firefighters across the region, to reduce duplication of travel to regional facilities and to generate training credits that can lower insurance rates for district property owners.
Clarifying details given at the meeting included the department’s $516,000 internal estimate (later rounded in discussion to “under $600,000”), that the county had about $1 million available in the coal-ash fund for discretionary allocations, and that the project would focus on hands-on skills such as ladder work, tanker and hydrant training and forcible-entry scenarios.
County staff said a detailed contract with implementation steps and reporting requirements would return for board approval.
