By Adam Swift
The Town Council is tentatively scheduled to hold a special meeting on Tuesday, July 25 at 6 p.m. to take up an issue that has been on the town’s plate for decades. The meeting, requested by Council President James Letterie, could potentially provide information about a proposal for a new firehouse and establish a firehouse building committee. Letterie said information about a potential proposal could be ready for the public by the time of the scheduled meeting. The town has two fire stations, the headquarters building on Pauline Avenue and one in the beach section of town on Shirley Street, that are both over a century old. “This town has talked about building a firehouse since the early 90s, so it’s been over 30 years,†said Letterie. “We’ve put a lot of work into this, and I think we have a very good plan to propose.†Letterie noted that the current firehouses are far from modern. “The reason we have two fire stations is because we don’t have a facility at the main fire station that would house the ladder truck,†said Letterie. “The buildings were built for horses, honestly. Times have changed.†If the council does go ahead with a firehouse proposal next Tuesday, Letterie said it is likely the council will appoint a firehouse building committee that could include a representative from the council, the town manager, fire chief, and members of the community. “One of their jobs would be trying to explain the benefits of having a new firehouse,†said Letterie. “Ultimately, the only way to build the firehouse would be with a debt exclusion that would potentially be on the ballot in November.†Letterie said the building committee would be tasked with educating the public on the costs and potential benefits of building a new firehouse. “It’s a big job, because the council is not in the job of campaigning for debt exclusions, so the committee would take that responsibility on,†said Letterie.