The Midway City Council approved the recommendation of Mayor Grayson Vandegrift and Midway Volunteer & Rescue Chief Butch Armstrong to sell Midway Fire Station No. 1, located on E. Bruen Street.
Vandegrift cited two reasons for why the property sale is a good decision for the community.
“Chief (Armstrong) says there is no reason to maintain two stations; it is counterproductive and not as efficient since they don’t have duplicates of each piece of equipment, and it is better to store everything at the new station, which has plenty of room,” he said. “Second, nearly all of our runs are for EMS-like car wrecks. We only had two fire calls all of last year and the new station is convenient to everything.”
The sale of the fire station should realize substantial funds with likely enough to pay off the construction of the new station. Vandegrift consulted with two real estate professionals and obtained market analyses that were nearly the same.
“We will put out a request for bids with a minimum bid of $250,000, and the winner will be required to immediately pay 10 percent if their bid wins,” Vandegrift explained. “The council will also be able to look at the proposed use of the property to decide which bid wins. We’ve already had interest so I expect we may see something exciting go in.”
Vandgrift said he hopes the bid process can be advertised soon and the transaction closed within 30 days after the fire department moves into the new station.
Councilmember Sara Hicks asked what types of uses the mayor had been told were possibilities.
“Microbrewery, microdistillery, a restaurant, who knows, but it could be really good for the community,” he answered.
Vandegrift said the new station might receive its certificate of occupancy within a week, and the department can then move in completely. A grand opening and public open house will be scheduled soon that will allow “everyone can see the fantastic new station for our fire department and Woodford EMS,” he said.
Abandoned Property List
Steele Rouse, the Midway Code Enforcement Board chair, presented the Council with the 2025 Abandoned Property List. Rouse explained that the board communicated with the city clerk to determine which buildings do not have water service, given that this is a red flag of abandonment. They also collaborated with the Planning Director Steve Hunter.
The owners of the listed properties are informed of the action by letter and they can appeal the decision by filing an appeal by April 1. If an appeal is made, then the board conducts a hearing.
Rouse said the board held two hearings last year on the 2024 List, denying one appeal and granting the other.
Rouse explained that the penalty for owning an abandoned property is 75 cents on every $100 of assessed value for the Midway portion of the property tax.
Honorary street naming
The council continued to discuss Councilmember Logan Nance’s proposal for a process and criteria to honor people or groups by naming a street or part of a street for them.
The discussion led to a consensus that the city will do up to two honorary namings a year, which will be announced the week of Memorial Day. The applications will be referred to the Roads Committee, which will then make a recommendation to the Council for the final decision. A nomination will require a $100 fee, which is applied to the costs of the signage. To honor a person, they must be deceased and meet the criteria for an honor set out in the ordinance.
Nance will present the final resolution for approval at the next council meeting.
Public comment
Vickie Riddle, who lives on Georgetown Road, expressed her frustrations with black fungus and the use of fans at night caused by White Dog Storage rick houses.