BROWNSTOWN

A couple of weeks after proposing a project to add onto its station, the Brownstown Volunteer Fire Department made an offer on the former town hall building.

Fire Chief Travis McElfresh and board member Dave Shelton attended the recent Brownstown Town Council meeting and made a cash offer of $120,000 for the building at 200 W. Walnut St., which is adjacent to the fire station at 210 W. Walnut St.

In May, the town hall and police department moved to 116 E. Cross St., but the street department remained in the back of the town building.

Council President Gregg Goshorn asked McElfresh about a timeline for moving into the building if the town was to agree to the purchase.

"We’re willing to work until you guys find a home for the street department," McElfresh said. "Obviously, we don’t want to drag it out a year or something. We’re out of space currently, so our options are to either try to purchase that building or we’re going to add onto the rear of our fire station. At this point, we would rather buy that building than try to add on."

If the building is purchased, McElfresh said the fire department would cancel its plans to build onto the fire station and add bays because it could put trucks in the two bays on the east side of the building, which currently are used by the street department.

Clerk-Treasurer David Willey said no other offers had been made on the town hall building since the town had put it up for sale.

Councilwoman Sharon Koch asked about the cost of a new street department building, and Councilman Mark Reynolds said it’s "going to be in that ballpark" of the offer made by the fire department on the town hall building.

Koch asked McElfresh and Shelton if they needed an answer the night of the meeting on accepting the offer.

Shelton said if the town wants to have a purchase agreement in writing with the fire department, they would be OK with that. Willey said they might be able to do an interlocal agreement.

The council said it would have an answer by the next meeting, which is set for 6 p.m. Monday at the town hall.

"Thank you very much. We appreciate you guys coming in and making an offer," Goshorn said to McElfresh and Shelton. "We’ll discuss and have something for you by the next meeting."

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What: Brownstown Town Council meeting

When: 6 p.m. Monday

Where: Brownstown Town Hall, 116 E. Cross St., Brownstown

Who: Open to the public and press

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