PLUMSTED: Voters to have say on firehouse land buy

Voters will soon have their say on whether the Plumsted Township Fire District should purchase land to expand the New Egypt Firehouse on Main Street.

by James McEvoy, Messenger Pres
PLUMSTED — Voters will soon have their say on whether the Plumsted Township Fire District should purchase land to expand the New Egypt Firehouse on Main Street.
   The property to purchase, known as Tree /Main St. Family Restaurant located at 61-63 Main Street, is estimated by officials to cost $480,000, resulting in an average taxpayer facing a $250 tax increase over the next decade.
   The special election is set for Wednesday, Feb. 5 with polls open from 2 to 9 p.m.
   ”Obviously with a lot of things going on in town we’re trying to really find a little bit more room,” said Vic Seidman, chairman of the township’s Board of Fire Commissioners.
   During a presentation at the firehouse on Nov. 25, Aaron Heller, fire commissioner and treasurer for the board, outlined the district, its operations, the condition of current building, which was built in 1961, and the need for expansion, which is proposed to house both fire and emergency first aid services.
   However, voters will only decide whether to authorize the property purchase. Expansion or construction proposals are not involved in the vote.
   ”We have to buy the property before we go any further with this,” Mr. Heller said. “We feel that putting us together is going to improve our service to the township and in the end that’s what this has to be about.”
   In addition, Mr. Heller pointed to the fact the first aid building, which was built in 1977, is in serious disrepair.
   He further noted that the first aid building is owned by the township and leased to the squad.
   The commissioners also noted that the New Egypt Fire Company has made $300,000 in major investments in the building at 59 Main Street including a new roof and rebuilding the engine room floor.
   In 2002, the Plumsted Township Fire District commissioned a fire study in which Dr. Harry R. Carter, an expert in the field, ultimately recommended a new structure.
   Subsequent to that, property owners of the Tree /Main St. Family Restaurant, then came to fire officials interested in selling the property, Mr. Heller said.
   The effort comes on the heels of a failed attempt to lobby public support to purchase land on Route 528 and construct a brand new, state-of-the-art facility.
   ”The voters overwhelmingly voted it down,” Mr. Heller said, noting feedback from residents pointed to questions regarding need and costs.
   ”We truly did not have all the numbers squared away,” he said, adding the approximate costs of the new facility would have been between $8 and $10 million.
   During a question and answer session, fire officials also said $180,000 in funds previously set aside for a substation was never built, could also be used toward the expansion.
   Fire district officials pointed to the potential development of a senior housing community as a significant factor in the proposed expansion – both in regards to facilitating it through possible financial contributions from the developer as well as underscoring the need.
   In August, the Township Committee passed a resolution was to enter into a conditional redevelopment agreement with Lennar Corp., which could lead to 250 to 500 seniors being developed in the township off Province Line Road near the boarder with North Hanover Township.
   Previously, township officials have said under the township redevelopment plan any developer would have to enhance the downtown area by offsetting the cost of a sewer system.
   Fire officials are holding another public forum at the station located at 59 Main Street on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m.