Monroe Fire Chief Daryl Rausch deserves credit for being proactive in seeking federal economic stimulus funds to help fund a second fire station.
The stimulus package passed last month by Congress and signed by President Obama includes $210 million for constructing and improving fire stations. A second fire station for Monroe certainly would seem to be a strong contender for a piece of that fiscal pie.
Rausch wants a second fire station, mostly as a means to cut response times to the west side and bring them in line with National Fire Protection Association standards. With the economic development on the city's west side, a facility there makes sense.
The city has set aside land on West 17th Street, a stone's throw from the Badger State Ethanol Plant. Having a dedicated spot for a facility allows the department to apply for state and federal grant programs.
The Monroe Board of Public Works on Monday authorized Rausch to get quotes for engineering and design work, and for development of building plans for a second station. Rausch said he will need "fairly firm numbers on the cost to build" to apply for stimulus funds.
Rausch put his pursuit for a new station on hold last year as a budget concession, facing the reality that the city simply would not have enough money in 2009 to move forward with the project. The federal stimulus plan provides an opportunity, and Rausch and the city are wise to try to benefit. Without that opening, the project essentially remains on hold.
While the project certainly would benefit our city and its residents, there's the question of whether projects like a second fire station for Monroe contribute to stimulating the economy. That answer isn't quite as clear.
Certainly, local people would be working while a fire station is constructed. Whether the project would create jobs, or at least retain jobs, remains to be seen and could be difficult to measure. Any job boost would be temporary.
It would be legitimate to argue that a second fire station enhances the city's economic development possibilities on the west side. That could have an indirect stimulative effect.
The debatable nature of a fire station's stimulative effect on the economy is a microcosm of the national concerns of whether the national recovery package actually will succeed in putting people back to work and getting them spending money again.
That's not on Daryl Rausch's shoulders, of course. The money's been put out there, and he's doing his civic duty in going after it.
Ultimately, the success of the economic recovery attempt relies on the impact of the thousands of fire stations, roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects that will occur because of the stimulus package.
At this point, we only can hope (pray?) that it works.
The stimulus package passed last month by Congress and signed by President Obama includes $210 million for constructing and improving fire stations. A second fire station for Monroe certainly would seem to be a strong contender for a piece of that fiscal pie.
Rausch wants a second fire station, mostly as a means to cut response times to the west side and bring them in line with National Fire Protection Association standards. With the economic development on the city's west side, a facility there makes sense.
The city has set aside land on West 17th Street, a stone's throw from the Badger State Ethanol Plant. Having a dedicated spot for a facility allows the department to apply for state and federal grant programs.
The Monroe Board of Public Works on Monday authorized Rausch to get quotes for engineering and design work, and for development of building plans for a second station. Rausch said he will need "fairly firm numbers on the cost to build" to apply for stimulus funds.
Rausch put his pursuit for a new station on hold last year as a budget concession, facing the reality that the city simply would not have enough money in 2009 to move forward with the project. The federal stimulus plan provides an opportunity, and Rausch and the city are wise to try to benefit. Without that opening, the project essentially remains on hold.
While the project certainly would benefit our city and its residents, there's the question of whether projects like a second fire station for Monroe contribute to stimulating the economy. That answer isn't quite as clear.
Certainly, local people would be working while a fire station is constructed. Whether the project would create jobs, or at least retain jobs, remains to be seen and could be difficult to measure. Any job boost would be temporary.
It would be legitimate to argue that a second fire station enhances the city's economic development possibilities on the west side. That could have an indirect stimulative effect.
The debatable nature of a fire station's stimulative effect on the economy is a microcosm of the national concerns of whether the national recovery package actually will succeed in putting people back to work and getting them spending money again.
That's not on Daryl Rausch's shoulders, of course. The money's been put out there, and he's doing his civic duty in going after it.
Ultimately, the success of the economic recovery attempt relies on the impact of the thousands of fire stations, roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects that will occur because of the stimulus package.
At this point, we only can hope (pray?) that it works.
