In recent weeks the Athens City Council has been discussing building a new fire station on the east side of Athens.

All five councilmen agree that the city needs a station there, but they can’t seem to decide on the best place to build it. They own a couple of tracts of land and Athens-Limestone Hospital has given them three-and-a-half acres in the Athens Medical Village now under development on U.S. 72 East at Lindsay Lane.

Councilman Harold Wales said he’s had about a half-dozen calls from residents in nearby subdivisions who don’t want the station there because of noise and traffic problems.

One councilman commented, “No matter where we locate it, someone will have objections.”

We’re inclined to believe this statement, given other issues that have faced our city fathers in the past.

But the time to act is now on this issue. The east side of Athens is rapidly developing, especially those outer reaches of the eastern city limits. Those residents need fire protection.

It’s time to think of the safety of many, which has to outweigh the inconvenience of a few.