Waterbury fire station faces revote Tuesday
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By Thatcher Moats Times Argus Staff - Published: January 5, 2009
WATERBURY – A much-debated bond measure to rebuild Waterbury's two fire stations will get a second look this Tuesday.
Voters narrowly approved a $5.8 million, 20-year bond by a vote of 1,436 to 1,375 on Election Day. But some residents who disapproved of the outcome soon circulated a petition calling for a vote to rescind the bond measure. Enough signatures were garnered to force a vote, and this Tuesday, residents can cast their ballots at the municipal building on South Main Street between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
If the first vote stands, the $5.8 million would be used to rebuild the town and village stations at their current locations on South Main Street and Maple Street. The village station would cost $3.75 million and be a two-story structure that is slightly larger than the present one. The town station would cost $2 million and be a one-story satellite station that is also larger than the current facility.
The existing stations were built about 50 years ago, and are leaky and cramped, according to Waterbury Fire Chief Gary Dillon.
"For the most part, the stations are old and need a tremendous amount of work, and they are not large enough for today's needs," said Dillon.
The Maple Street station has rotten walls and you can feel the air flowing through, he said.
"The energy efficiency is not even close to what one would want," Dillon said.
There are also ventilation and electrical issues, and you can't fix one without fixing the other, Dillon said. And the roof leaks, he added. "Just a week ago we had water running down on the inside of the building," he said.
The South Main Street station suffers from many of the same problems, according to Dillon.
Fire crews use that fire station plus two other municipal buildings to store their equipment, Dillon said. And the building requires 275 gallons of heating fuel per week in the winter because of the inefficiency of the structure, he said.
Waterbury resident Ed Steele has criticized the timing of the bond and helped circulate the petition to rescind the vote.
"We certainly need some help with our fire stations, but timing is everything in politics," said Steele. "Now is not the time. The national, state and local economy has deteriorated considerably in the last couple months. I just don't think Waterbury can afford it."
The first year of repayment – 2010 – would be the most expensive year for taxpayers, according to Waterbury Town Manager William Shepeluk. That year, the municipal tax rate would increase by 7 cents, Shepeluk said. For a home valued at $200,000, that would mean a tax increase of about $140.
The design approved last November was the least expensive of three plans presented to the village's Board of Trustees and the town Selectboard.
About 500 residents had voted early as of last Friday, according to Waterbury Town Clerk Carla Lawrence.
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