For years, the plan has been for the city of Flandreau to recoup some of the costs for its new fire station by selling the old one. Now that the new fire hall is complete, discussions have emerged about what could best serve the community if the old station is put to different use.
Several businesses have been considered as potential options to grow the local tax base. The local youth baseball association recently approached the city about leasing the space, and county officials have also shown interest, eyeing the old fire station as a potential new home for its ambulance service — a topic they’ve been pressing for more than a year.
When county officials heard recently that the city may be leaning toward putting the fire hall up for auction, they renewed their request, hoping for a deal before it’s too late.
“Have you considered what it would mean for the City if the Moody County Ambulance doesn’t cover Flandreau anymore? That might have to be one of our discussions if we change our coverage area to exclude the City of Flandreau,” said Marty Skroch, Commission Assistant.
“We’re asking for a response,” Skroch continued.

“We’d like the fire hall, or we’d like to start working on a subsidy agreement with you so that together we can keep the ambulance service going as it’s currently operating. This is what we were trying to discuss in August of last year, but we never received a response.”
The county has long considered ways to improve its ambulance service, which faces persistent challenges, including staffing issues and an inadequate facility. The service’s current base, tucked in the back of a building along Pipestone Avenue, lacks basic amenities — there’s minimal living space, no proper kitchen, and getting in and out of the garage is a hassle, especially in bad weather.
In winter, the rear-wheel-drive ambulance can even get stuck in the ice and snow while exiting into the alley behind the garage.
The service also operates at a loss of about $54,000 annually, despite receiving a $10,000 subsidy from the Flandreau Santee Sioux and other reimbursements. It’s simply not a profitable venture, officials say.
County leaders argue that the old fire hall would be an ideal location. They’re asking the city to either provide the building or offer a $25,000 annual stipend, pointing out that 50-60% of all ambulance calls come from within city limits.
The county’s financial strain, Skroch said, means it can’t continue to bear these costs alone. County officials have researched other options, such as contracting with outside services from Dell Rapids, Brookings, Madison, or private companies, but those alternatives would only drive up costs.
“If Moody County Ambulance has to go away, and if you want somebody to cover the City of Flandreau, another ambulance service, they’ll probably give you subsidy numbers that are similar to ($200,000) annually, not just one time,” Skroch said.
“And they’re going to need a place to house the ambulance service. So as we’ve looked at potentially having to move on from having our service, we were getting some pretty big numbers from outside entities on what they would want for just the county for subsidy numbers. Our numbers would work a lot better if we work together to keep something that is definitely benefitting the city of Flandreau and the county, but we’re running out of additional funds to be paying for things that are non-essential, just like you are.”
City and county officials agreed that time is running short and that collaboration is crucial. Both parties plan to meet in the coming weeks to find a workable solution.