Voters Approve $15.2M Referendum to Expand Chappaqua Firehouse
New Castle Fire District No. 1 voters comfortably approved the $15.2 million firehouse expansion and modernization referendum Tuesday night that will provide more space for larger trucks and greater safety for volunteers.
By a count of 338-260, the public authorized the district to borrow the money for a 13,000-square-foot addition at 491 King St. in Chappaqua. There will be three new bays large enough to house a 100-foot ladder and a tanker, which will help firefighters battle blazes in areas of town that do not have hydrants.
Construction on the expansion could start as soon as this fall, said Board of Fire Commissioners Chairman Brian Murphy. He thanked the voters for their support so that “volunteer firefighters deserve a fire station that ensures their health and safety.”
“I really think that this is the best thing that can happen to all parties, and especially for the town,” Murphy said.
In addition to the extra space for the Chappaqua Fire Department’s trucks, the project will include proper decontamination of the firefighters’ gear after a fire and for them to shower before heading home. Currently, one small washing machine is available to the department, which could take hours to clean all of the gear.
Commissioner Charles Rauch, who is also a volunteer firefighter, said having the public provide a facility that stresses health and safety is deeply appreciated.
“Being on both sides, a commissioner and a firefighter, it means a lot, and living with this firehouse for 12 years, this is the first year I’m a commissioner, but yes, it was kind of difficult living with some of the things we had to live with, working around the firehouse and getting things done,” Rauch said.
Construction is expected to last up to two years, Murphy said.
The successful referendum is in stark contrast to the badly defeated expansion vote in October 2016. The following year, fire commissioners successfully put up a referendum to acquire the adjacent property of the former Chappaqua Animal Hospital that will allow enough space to build the addition.
Then nearly three years ago, discussion resurfaced about a putting up another bond issue in hopes of obtaining the money to build the needed space.
Murphy said the district made sure not to repeat the errors committed in 2016, by scheduling community information sessions and sending out mailers to help the public understand why an expanded firehouse was necessary.
“We tried to correct everything,” he said. “We corrected mistakes that we made and the big thing was the outreach. We really wanted to get that going.”
Commissioners removed several million dollars of additional work to hold down the price tag, deciding against building out a second floor. They have already announced their intentions to use money from the eventual sale of the old Senter Street firehouse and money in reserves to pay for that.
Once completed, it will be the second expansion of the building since the original wing was built in 1954. There was an expansion in 1979.
The average district taxpayer will pay an extra $282.40 a year to repay the bond over a 30-year period.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
