A proposed plan to build a $5.6 million North Station in Webster did not pass by voters Tuesday night, July 24.
The North East Joint Fire District, one of two fire districts serving the Webster community, had developed a plan to build the station at 600 Phillips Road, in the heart of the district, and about a mile and a half from their firehouse on Main Street in the village of Webster.
Fire District Commissioner Steve Wright and Building Committee Chairman Chris Bowen presented the plans at a Webster Town Board workshop and at a single public meeting last month.
It went to voters Tuesday -- 256 voted in favor, 897 against.
The overall cost to build the 13,308 square foot station is $5.6 million, Wright said, with $500,000 coming from a capital reserve account and $200,000 from the district's building fund.
The district was looking for voter approval to borrow $4.9 million to build the firehouse. The 30-year bond would have cost district taxpayers owning the average $170,000 home an additional about $29 a year, Wright said.
The station, Wright added, has been designed "to fit the needs of the district now and into the future."
Previously, Webster Supervisor Ron Nesbitt, questioned not the need for the fire district, but the expense, and the impact on taxpayers.
Since 2005, Nesbitt said, the fire district taxes have gone up from $.50, to $1.09, or a 118 percent increase.
“Part of the $1.09 has been put into two reserve accounts; one is a capital fund for $500,000 and the other is a reserve fund with $200,000,” Nesbitt said. “(Now) these funds are being used by the fire district to lower the cost of the bond to $4.9 million ... (but), in essence, the residents in the district have been paying for this new firehouse for years.
In addition, Nesbitt said, based on the information that has been provided so far by the fire district, the increase to pay back the bond would still be a 13-year increase of 150 percent in fire district taxes since 2005.
“That $170,000 house was paying $85 in 2005 and in 2018 would be paying at least $213 per year,” Nesbitt said.
Webster resident Ahmed Mustafa, who also has 22 years of experience as a volunteer firefighter, also has concerns from a taxpayer’s point of view.
“Since the formation of the district, they’ve already spent $8 million to build Station 1 and done renovations to Station 2 on Salt and Plank roads,” Mustafa said. “When does it come to a point that enough is enough? Just because they can get the funding doesn’t mean they should spend it ... It’s one more burden on the taxpayers.”
A proposed plan to build a $5.6 million North Station in Webster did not pass by voters Tuesday night, July 24.
The North East Joint Fire District, one of two fire districts serving the Webster community, had developed a plan to build the station at 600 Phillips Road, in the heart of the district, and about a mile and a half from their firehouse on Main Street in the village of Webster.
Fire District Commissioner Steve Wright and Building Committee Chairman Chris Bowen presented the plans at a Webster Town Board workshop and at a single public meeting last month.
It went to voters Tuesday -- 256 voted in favor, 897 against.
The overall cost to build the 13,308 square foot station is $5.6 million, Wright said, with $500,000 coming from a capital reserve account and $200,000 from the district's building fund.
The district was looking for voter approval to borrow $4.9 million to build the firehouse. The 30-year bond would have cost district taxpayers owning the average $170,000 home an additional about $29 a year, Wright said.
The station, Wright added, has been designed "to fit the needs of the district now and into the future."
Previously, Webster Supervisor Ron Nesbitt, questioned not the need for the fire district, but the expense, and the impact on taxpayers.
Since 2005, Nesbitt said, the fire district taxes have gone up from $.50, to $1.09, or a 118 percent increase.
“Part of the $1.09 has been put into two reserve accounts; one is a capital fund for $500,000 and the other is a reserve fund with $200,000,” Nesbitt said. “(Now) these funds are being used by the fire district to lower the cost of the bond to $4.9 million ... (but), in essence, the residents in the district have been paying for this new firehouse for years.
In addition, Nesbitt said, based on the information that has been provided so far by the fire district, the increase to pay back the bond would still be a 13-year increase of 150 percent in fire district taxes since 2005.
“That $170,000 house was paying $85 in 2005 and in 2018 would be paying at least $213 per year,” Nesbitt said.
Webster resident Ahmed Mustafa, who also has 22 years of experience as a volunteer firefighter, also has concerns from a taxpayer’s point of view.
“Since the formation of the district, they’ve already spent $8 million to build Station 1 and done renovations to Station 2 on Salt and Plank roads,” Mustafa said. “When does it come to a point that enough is enough? Just because they can get the funding doesn’t mean they should spend it ... It’s one more burden on the taxpayers.”
He also questioned why the vote was on a Tuesday in July, noting, “It feels like they’re trying to sneak one through.”
Wright said that the district's goal is also "to get volunteers as close to the station as possible."
Bowen said the building committee also tried to get a residential look for the firehouse, "to fit in with the houses, including a new subdivision, nearby."
If fire district residents had approved the bond, the goal was to start construction of the new firehouse by May 2013, Wright said, and open the new station by December 2013.
