Copperas Cove looks to purchase former credit union property for future fire station site

By LYNETTE SOWELL 
Cove Leader-Press 

During a special meeting of the Copperas Cove city council last Wednesday evening, the council approved the City of Copperas Cove submitting an offer to purchase the property at 2410 E. Business 190 for a future fire station. 
The roughly 2.1-acre property is the majority of the site of the former Heart of Texas Credit Union. 
The vote occurred after an executive session in which the council discussed and deliberated the proposed contract. This topic of purchasing property on Business 190 for a future fire station has been on several meeting agendas prior to Wednesday evening’s discussion, but the location was not disclosed until after Wednesday’s session.
Kevin Keller, Director of Public Relations for the city of Copperas Cove, confirmed on Friday that the proposed purchase amount is $850,000. 
Earlier this year, a 0.62-acre section of the 2410 E. Business 190 property was sold for the site of a future Dunkin’ Donuts, which is currently under construction. 
Presently, the city has no plans for a fire station on Business 190, but a Fire Station #5 appears on the city’s five-year capital improvement plan (CIP) for fiscal years 2022-2026 as an item marked with an estimated $30,000 for design. Fire Station #4 is on the five-year CIP, and will be constructed in the vicinity of Old Copperas Cove Road. On Nov. 5, 2013, voters approved a general obligation bond for Fire Station #4 in the amount of $6,000,000.  
On Wednesday, the council’s vote to authorize the proposed contract was unanimous, with place 7 councilmember Jack Smith abstaining from the vote, as Donlie McMullin Realty is the cooperating broker on the transaction.
Also during the special meeting on Wednesday and after the executive session, the council emerged to propose and approve a pay increase of 2.5 percent for city manager Ryan Haverlah. 
This increase amounts to $4,040 added to his current salary. Keller also confirmed that Haverlah received a cost of living (COLA) along with other city employees as part of the current fiscal year budget. According to the budget presentations from this summer, the COLA for staff was 1 percent.