Construction on Grand County’s new EMS Station 1 is moving steadily forward, with crews working to enclose the building by January so interior work can continue through the winter. The facility’s project manager expects the project to be completed by late fall 2026.

At a recent Grand County Board of County Commissioners meeting, officials discussed a key change order for the project: a concrete pad that will support the station’s backup generator. The change order for the pad came in at over $60,000. But, after further review and cost verification, the county negotiated the amount down to $38,910.31 — saving roughly $26,000. The change order was signed last week to keep the project on schedule, with work on the pad slated for this week and next.

The generator pad is the most significant change order approved so far and will come out of the project’s $ 1.8 million contingency fund. Still, Grand County commissioners expect another to come through soon, estimated at over $100,000. This change order will cover IT and audiovisual needs for the building’s training and conference spaces. It will be presented to the commissioners once finalized.

In addition to EMS operations, the new facility will include a large training room designed for CPR classes, high school EMT instruction and community meetings. According to EMS Chief Wingate, the room will be available for public use once the building opens. A reservation system is currently being developed, with more details to come in 2026.

The county also received an $85,000 grant from Freeport-McMoRan to help furnish the training room. The funds will be used for furniture, fixtures and equipment, helping offset some of the costs associated with recent change orders.

Commissioners expressed public thanks to Freeport-McMoRan during the meeting and plan to issue a formal resolution and thank-you letter recognizing the company’s support.