MILLTOWN — In addition to choosing Democrats Patricia Murray and Neil Raciti as new members of the Borough Council, voters shot down a ballot question to finance a new borough firehouse.
Voters opted against spending $6.05 million to construct a new firehouse at 116 S. Main St. by a tally of 2,214 to 764.
In July the council approved the nonbinding referendum to appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Mayor Eric A. Steeber previously told Greater Media Newspapers that he supported putting the matter on the ballot, suggesting that it was too significant an expenditure to be decided solely by the council.
After learning of the results, Steeber said he was not surprised, suggesting that residents were concerned about the fiscal impact of the measure.
“The voters of Milltown understand and recognize the future financial obligations in town in the way of building the new electrical substation and other infrastructure improvements,” he said.
The Borough Council on July 23 unanimously introduced an ordinance appropriating $14 million for the design, permitting and construction of a new electrical substation.
“It certainly isn’t that the firehouse is going to be ignored,” he said. “I think the council’s plan is to basically go back to the drawing board. They’re going to work to do upgrades and improvements to the building to make sure the firemen have a good place for right now.
“I have a feeling they’re going to look at a new plan for a firehouse,” he added. “Exactly where that’s going to go at this point and time I’m not sure. I would imagine they would be looking at a structure that would be a lot less expensive — basically looking at to get the most bang for the buck.”
Steeber reiterated that residents support their emergency personnel and that they voted out of concern for the struggling economy.
“The residents in Milltown recognize what an asset our firemen are,” he said. “They do a tremendous job. They’re one of the finest companies in the area. I’d put them up against anybody’s.
“Basically what it comes down to is the pocketbook,” he added. “It’s frightening. Houses in Milltown are in foreclosure; it’s a real sliding housing market. People have to make sure their bottom line is covered before they really think about tackling improvements that can be put off for a short time.”
The firehouse proposal has been the subject of debate in Milltown since 2008, when officials first proposed building a new firehouse on the South Main Street site of the current firehouse.
Officials have previously said the proposed new firehouse would eliminate the need to continue using the firehouse on Cottage Avenue, and would include an approximate 8,000-square-foot first floor that would accommodate all the fire apparatus and provide shower facilities.
The most recent proposal would include a first floor with three bays, which would house four trucks and leave room for one more truck. The second floor of the building would consist of 6,000 square feet with a kitchen, a pantry, a meeting room for up to 198 people (standing), and storage space.
Officials have said the second floor could be used as an emergency shelter. The building would have a small third floor with office space for fire officials.
In the council elections, Murray and Raciti defeated Republicans Francis X. Guyette and John Nusbaum.
Democrats will gain two seats on the council after Republican Councilmen Robert Owens and Gary Holsten opted against running for re-election. In January, the council will be all Democratic.
Murray and Raciti received 1,832 and 1,667 votes, respectively, to Guyette’s and Nusbaum’s 1,557 and 1,447.
At a candidates’ forum Oct. 24, Nusbuam informed voters that he would be relocating to Spotswood shortly after the election and therefore unable to fulfill the duties of councilman if elected.
Nusbuam said that he and his family made the decision in October but it was too late for his name to be removed from the ballot.
If voters had elected him and he could not serve, the Milltown Republican Organization would have selected three names to replace Nusbuam on the council.
The council then would have chosen one of the three and that person would have served until next November when the seat would have been up for election again for the remaining two years of the term.