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Scotland County approves recommended site for new EMS headquarters, directs staff to proceed
Summary
The Scotland County Board of Commissioners voted to approve Alliance Consulting Engineers’ recommended site for a new emergency medical services headquarters on county property and authorized staff to proceed with site work and later solicit design‑build bids.
Scotland County commissioners on Feb. 3, 2025 approved a recommended site for a new Emergency Medical Services headquarters on county property and directed staff to move forward with site work and next steps in the procurement process.
The recommendation came from Alliance Consulting Engineers and was presented to the board by Robert Sands, a county staff member overseeing the project. “This allows us to stay in our current building, and continue operations, during the construction phase,” Sands said, explaining one of the principal reasons the consultant recommended the location on the south side of the current campus.
The recommendation identified an L‑shaped footprint along West Boulevard, chosen in part to avoid extensive and costly relocation of underground utilities, including fiber optic lines. Sands said the firm proposed a building of “plus or minus 18,000 square feet” but that final size and cost will be determined later through a design‑build RFQ and contractor estimates.
Commissioners pressed for cost context. One commissioner noted the county currently holds approximately $6.5 million in reserves and said the board would need to weigh square footage and price once estimates are available. Sands said a recently completed comparable facility suggested a per‑square‑foot range near $280, but added that final numbers will follow the RFQ and design phases.
Board members also discussed possible reuse or demolition of the existing building and said no final decision has been made. Commissioner O'Neil raised repurposing as an option, and Sands said the question is “open for discussion” as the project is in early stages.
After discussion, a motion to accept Alliance Consulting Engineers’ site recommendation and proceed with the next steps carried on a voice vote. The motion did not specify a mover or second in the public record and the transcript records the action as approved by voice; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the meeting minutes.
The next steps described by staff include completion of the consultant’s site work by late summer or early fall 2025, issuance of an RFQ for a design‑build contractor, and then development of firm cost estimates once an architect and contractor are engaged.
The board’s approval authorizes staff to continue site planning on the county campus; it does not commit the county to a final building size, exact budget, or demolition plan for the existing structure.
