RED SPRINGS — The Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a re-zoning request that clears the path for a community health facility to open on West Third Avenue.

The board unanimously approved the request by Felicia McPhatter of Chosen Generation Community Center Inc., who wants to open the facility on two acres of land at 808 W. Third Ave., according to Mayor John McNeill.

According to a memo from the Planning Board, the facility would work to prevent gang violence, childhood obesity and high school dropouts; provide outpatient drug and alcohol counseling services; promote health and safety awareness activities; offer after-school tutoring; and teach job skills.

The facility would open with at least eight employees and expand to 25 or more, according to the memo. There was no word on when the facility would open.

Also on Tuesday, the board heard from Jonathan Prather, chief of the Red Springs rescue squad, who said the squad is in need of a new building.

“Our building is over 60 years old. We have a lot of issues with our building,” Prather said of the building at 927 E. Fourth Ave. “When it floods, we flood almost a foot all the way through our building.”

Prather said the squad is looking into securing grants and a loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the financing.

“We’re still in the beginning stages, just the application process,” he said.

He did not say how much a new building would cost.

In other action on Tuesday, the board:

— Appointed Commissioner Murry McKeithan to the Firefighters Relief Fund Board.

— Approved four amendments to the 2012 budget.

— Approved the listing of police communications equipment as surplus property.

— Approved $172.50 in tax releases.

— Rescinded a vote from a special meeting on April 17 that approved a room in the community building to be used by Commissioner Duron Burney, who heads the Community Watch and Crimestoppers programs.