City of Beatrice Seeking Remaining Property For Fire Station, Through Eminent Domain

BEATRICE – The City of Beatrice is seeking the final piece of property for a new Beatrice Fire and Rescue headquarters, through eminent domain.
The city recently filed the action in Gage County District Court, seeking to secure the remaining property along Scott Street…the south end of a city block being acquired.

Mayor Stan Wirth says an appraisal of the property will be done and returned to the court by early October. The court would then make its decision. Wirth said notice has been mailed of the filing to all other property owners the city has reached agreement with, for purchase of property.
The new fire station will be constructed on the city block located between Sixth and Seventh, and Bell and Scott Street.
"Plans are being finalized for the preliminary design and then the final design will come to the council for their look....and then the next step is to finalize construction materials", Wirth said.

Last fall, Beatrice voters approved an additional half-cent local sales tax, to provide funding through a bond issue for construction of the station, which will replace the current fire and rescue headquarters in the lower level of the Beatrice Municipal Auditorium. The additional tax went into effect April 1st. The mayor said the collection is beating projections.
"Sales tax collections through July 31st, which includes April and May, total $191,000.....that's on the half-cent only....that's basically over our estimates by $10,000, in fact, just north of $10,000".

Mayor Wirth says the start of demolition work at the proposed site is expected to begin late this year. He said, "We'll remove the structures. Obviously, there's some additional work that will have to be done in the spring, as far as grading and that kind of thing, but you'll see some work there, yet this year".

The Beatrice Fire and Rescue service, with today’s larger fire and ambulance vehicles, has outgrown its current auditorium space. There is also a need to modernize firefighter living quarters, training and office area.