JACKSON – The Jackson Township Council has authorized the sale of a 12-acre property on West Veterans Highway to the Jackson Board of Fire Commissioners, District No. 2, so a new firehouse may be constructed.
Township Council Vice President Martin Flemming, Councilman Alexander Sauickie, Councilman Nino Borrelli and Councilman Stephen Chisholm voted “yes” on a motion to adopt an ordinance authorizing the sale of the property at the July 27 meeting of the governing body. Council President Andrew Kern was absent.
The property on West Veterans Highway was sold by the township to the Board of Fire Commissioners for $1.
During the public hearing that was held prior to the adoption of the ordinance, Robert Reddington, secretary to the Board of Fire Commissioners, District No. 2, thanked the council members for taking the action.
“This project has been underway for quite some time, the creation of a new fire station in town. I would like to thank the township councilmen very much for this approval, particularly Vice President Flemming. This (new firehouse) will be a structure that will bring greater fire protection to the township, to the fire district in particular, for the Cassville Fire Company,” Reddington said.
He said the current fire station on Toms River Road has been “outgrown.”
“We literally have outgrown the structure, it is still useful, still viable, firefighters still respond out of that station, but as time marches forward the creation of a new fire station truly is necessary, and the acquisition of this property from the township will reduce the financial burden on the taxpayers of the town,” Reddington said.
Paul Joyce lives next door to the property on West Veterans Highway that was sold to the fire commissioners. He said he has concerns about the property and the possible construction of a new firehouse.
“Because you don’t have much road frontage there, and everything I am reading about it is going to be a big piece, I know you have 12 acres, but it runs down along the side of a park,” Joyce said.
Flemming said he cannot speak for the Board of Fire Commissioners, but he said there are no architectural plans in place at this time. He said the new firehouse would likely be set back several hundred feet from West Veterans Highway.
“This (project) is still in its infancy. There are no architectural plans, there are no bonds in place yet. Unfortunately, it is probably going to be a little while” before it comes to fruition, Flemming said.