AMBULANCE SERVICE EXPECTS TO BUILD

Plans made more than two years ago to construct a new Cape Girardeau County Private Ambulance Service facility apparently will proceed this fall.

In August 1990, the ambulance service announced plans to build a new facility at its present site at 1458 N. Kingshighway.

The city's Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council approved a special-use permit for the site, but the plans subsequently were put on hold.

Joseph Russell, who owns the property where the ambulance service has its office, said Wednesday he will request that the special-use permit be extended to allow the company to proceed with the plans.

"We've modified the plans some as you might expect, and we've had to change the projected course of action on that," Russell said. "As far as we're concerned, we want to do it as quickly as we can get the plans approved.

"But it will be several weeks yet before any construction starts."

Russell said cost estimates for the work two years ago exceeded ambulance service expectations, which delayed the project. Also, the company has waited to determine what the county's emergency service plans were before building the new facility.

He said construction plans essentially remain unchanged from two years ago. They include construction of a new garage to house the service's fleet of ambulances and a two-level building that would house the company's offices, a training room, and living quarters for its employees who work 24-hour shifts.

Russell's son, John Russell, owns the ambulance service and rents the property from Joe Russell and his wife.

The new building would be built immediately west of its present site, which was originally built as a private residence.

The house was converted into an ambulance base in the early 1970s by George and Teresa Rouse, who sold the ambulance company to Russell in August 1983.

The ambulance service has six ambulances it now uses, and a seventh, older vehicle used only in times of heavy snows.

Plans call for the new facility to provide bays for seven ambulances with the potential for an eighth vehicle if it's ever needed.

Once the new facility is completed, the present structure will be torn down to make room for a larger parking lot for employees and the public.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will consider extension of the special-use permit for the work when it meets Oct. 14.