The St. Mary’s County Commissioners on August 27 formally began the process that will lead to the conversion of the Lexington Park Rescue Squad building on Great Mills Road into a sheriff’s office substation.
The rescue squad has begun construction of their new building near the library and Bay District Volunteer Fire Department. Once the current building is vacated the county will acquire it for more than $550,000. On Tuesday the commissioners approved funding of $125,000 of that to secure a match from the state that was authorized by the legislature in a bond bill.
According to Community Development Corporation Executive Director Robin Finnacom, the purchase of the property will be completed in Fiscal Year 2014, architectural and engineering work for the substation will take place in FY ’15 with actual; construction in FY’ 16. Estimated cost for the construction project is $1.45 million.
The rescue squad owns the current land and building and the county will purchase it from the. Finnacom said the proceeds will be used as an operating reserve by the rescue squad. A community fundraising effort was responsible for raising money for the new building.
At the August 27 meeting, Commissioner Daniel Morris (R: 2nd) said, “I have always been an advocate for this. It is money well spent.”
Commissioner Cynthia Jones, (R: 1st) said the project would be an important part of the Lexington Park corridor redevelopment. “This is a win, win,” she said.
