As Warner’s town meeting prepared to kick off at 9 a.m. Saturday morning, moderator Ray Martin made the audience a promise: If they could get out by noon, he’d buy them all a green beer at the local bar across the street from town hall.
Having voted on only three articles on a 20-article warrant by noon, residents missed their chance at a free drink – but they did gain a fire station.
Voters approved a $2.75 million fire station, 293-58, in a move that was greeted with cheers and applause from the audience. The decision brings to a close a discussion that started in 2010 about whether the town needs and can afford a new station.
The question of affordability was the main argument for supporters and opponents of the station.
“How much taxes are you willing to carry?” asked Edward Ordway Jr., who lost a recent bid for select board to incumbent Clyde Carson. “I’ve got gray hairs. This is an aging community … They’ve worked hard on this, but the town administration has made a grievous mistake … they’ve built this and that, not planning ahead.”
Residents against the proposal were concerned about the effect it’s projected 20-year bond would have on the tax rate. The bond, which will be about $2.5 million, will have an impact of about 63 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value each year that it is being paid off.
About $200,000 of the project will be paid for through money in the unassigned fund balance and $60,000 will be raised immediately through taxes.
But supporters said the project would not get cheaper the longer it was delayed. The town has bought the land on 148 W. Main St., where the fire station will be located and has paid for the design.
The current fire station has several issues, including a lack of space and that it is not ADA compliant.
“What it comes down to is, what is your safety worth?” said Richard Senor. “These gentlemen came when I was on the ground. Ask yourself, what is your safety worth?”
Select board member Kimberly Edelmann said the select board’s goal with the project was for it to meet the needs of the fire and rescue department, to be energy efficient, to last more than 25 years, to have low maintenance and operation costs, to have safe daily operations, and to be “not ugly,” a goal that was “very important to people in the neighborhood.”
Warner fire Chief Ed Raymond said construction on the building would begin in April. It is slated to be completed by the end of the year.
Residents also approved a $3.1 million operating budget, down $297,983 from last year’s budget of $3.4 million. That number is expected to be offset by $1.2 million worth of revenue, according to town documents.
Residents shot down a petition warrant article that would have established a three-person Procurement Committee. The committee’s role would be to assist the select board in reviewing any estimates, costs, contracts and expenditures that would exceed $25,000.
(Caitlin Andrews can be reached at 369-3309, candrews@cmonitor.com or on Twitter at @ActualCAndrews.)