New Barre firehall denied by 5 votes
BARRE – Voters in Barre today denied the Barre Fire District permission to borrow $2.52 million for a new firehall with a community center on Route 98.
The proposition was voted down, 217-212. This is the third time the Fire District has been denied the funding by voters, with each successive vote getting closer with more “yes” votes.
Disappointed fire officials said they didn’t plan to put the issue to vote again.
On June 4, 2014, the proposition was defeated, 249-114. Barre had another vote on April 25 this year and the vote was closer, 188-137, but the proposition did not pass.
Fire officials say the current building is too cramped and doesn’t have enough room for modern fire trucks.
Fire commissioners said the annual expense in renting the current fire hall could have been used as the debt payment for a new firehall. The current building could have been sold.
Despite those assurances of a new building without a tax increase, the project wasn’t able to get a majority of support from voters.
