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Swansea committee urges voters to approve $3.5M warrant for new fire station; bond plan seeks 60% approval
Summary
A volunteer committee presented a revised fire station plan it says cuts roughly $2 million from earlier proposals and recommends a $3.5 million warrant article; supporters say the bond service would use funds the town already pays into a capital reserve and that voters must approve a 60% majority for bonding.
A volunteer fire‑station committee told town meeting attendees March 4 that it has narrowed plans and costs for a proposed new Swansea fire station and is asking voters to support a $3,500,000 warrant article to prepare designs and construct a new station on town‑owned property.
Committee members said redesigns and a site change reduced the project cost compared with earlier proposals; the committee estimated the revised plan shaved about $2,000,000 off prior figures. The committee’s presentation indicated the town would finance a portion of the project with a bond and use existing grant funds and undesignated reserves to reduce the borrowing need.
Committee materials shown at the meeting list a borrowing plan in which roughly $2,500,000 would be raised by bond, with about $200,000 in grants already secured and roughly $150,000 expected from the undesignated fund balance and capital reserve. Presenters said the annual bond service payment would be similar to the town’s recent annual capital contributions for the fire station, and that voters would not necessarily see a tax increase over last year if the bond passes. The bond requires a 60% (supermajority) vote at town meeting; committee members said last year’s vote reached roughly 55% in favor and fell short of the required threshold.
Supporters said the design was reduced in size, sited on town‑owned land to lower grading costs, and built to allow future expansion. Skeptical residents questioned the chosen location’s response‑time implications for the portion of town farther from the site, particularly at night. Committee members acknowledged the site was not “the best location” but said owning the parcel lowered immediate costs.
The committee scheduled another public open house for the station design at Station No. 2 on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and displayed full plans in the meeting venue. Committee members told voters the plan aims to address modern operational needs while keeping construction within what they called an affordable envelope.
No formal vote occurred at the forum; the article will appear on the ballot and requires the 60% approval to authorize borrowing and construction.
