Hurd and VAS contest building’s fate

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

— Unable to find any common ground, members of the VAS Ambulance Service Corporation board of directors contemplate the next step.

VAS has been asked to vacate a building constructed by VAS on Richard Hurd’s land.

Richard Funk and David Growcock, VAS board members, met with Hurd and his son-in-law, Rob Hey, to discuss the building issue and reported the results to the full board at a regular board meeting.

In 2002, Hurd made averbal agreement with the Volunteer Ambulance Service of Northeast Benton County, to allow them to put a building on his land in Gateway, free of rent, to use as a substation. Hurd’s contention is that when the building was no longer used by the volunteer ambulance service, it would revert to him.

The position of the current VAS Ambulance Service Corporation board of directors is that there is no written agreement, but there is documentation of $15,000 spent constructing the building and the by-laws prohibit the corporation from giving anyassets to an individual or any for-profit organization.

In attempting to settle the dispute prior to a potential merger with the Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department and avoid court, Funk said there were several options, including VAS selling the building to Hurd for the cost of construction, Hurd giving the land on which the building sits to VAS, selling the building and land and splitting the proceeds, Hurd establishing a non-profit and donating the building to it, donating the building to a church or asking thecourts to mediate.

“No agreement was reached,” Funk told the board.

“Very simply ... we need to repay the community the $15,000,” Funk said.

“It’s hard when you have a party that does not budge on their position,” he said. “We both agreed we don’t want to go to court. You don’t want to sue anybody. You do business in northwest Arkansas by shaking hands across the fence, we’re neighbors. It would cost more if we went to court.”

Grady Allen, VAS board member, said: “My opinion is that we’re charged with protecting the assets that VAS Corp. has put together... it’s community funds, no matter whether it’s a set of tires or a building. At that time, they used public money to build a building.

“We’re responsible for the community’s money and I appreciate the many things you’ve done for VAS and the community.

There’s not a doubt in my mind that you’ve been a very benevolent man,” Allen said to Hurd.

Hurd said: “They came to me and asked about the land. I didn’t want to sell it. I said they could use it and do what they wanted to do ... I’ve kept up my end of the dealPOPULATIONS IN VAS EMSD

Gateway city 184

Garfield city 283

Avoca city 216

Avoca fire district 1,619

NEBCO fire district 1,977

VAS Amb. EMSD 3,596

Editor’s note:The numbers represent the number of registered voters in the specified areas as provided by the Benton County Clerk’s Office.

and I think I deserve what we agreed on. I don’t need the money ... it’s the principle of the thing. They’re making me out to be the bad guy ... one thing I’ve always done is help people.”

News, Pages 7 on 05/19/2010