Town of Fremont Counducting Referendum for New Fire Hall/Community Center
Friday, March 21st, 2014 -- 1:24 PM
-The Town of Fremont will be conducting a referendum on April 1st.This referendum will ask voters whether or not the Town should accept a grant, which has been awarded, and proceed with construction of a new building to house the Chili Fire Department as well as serve as a Community Center for the Town. The Community Center portion would include space for a food pantry, kitchenette, and meeting area that would be available to the public for functions.
I spoke with Erin Martin a Lieutenant with the Chili Fire Department. Erin talked about the cost of the project and the grant.
"We were awarded everything we asked for which is the most you can get because it's a matching grant," said Erin. "Our total project cost is $728,000 so that $364,000 is exactly half so as long as we spend that $728,000 we can get $364,000 towards the building."
Erin said that the Township of Fremont would see a tax increase if the referendum passes, however they've received estimates from the State Trust Fund Loan Program and the interest on this loan goes to area schools and not a bank.
Erin said, "The program has a fixed interest rate throughout the life of the loan and the interest that we pay actually goes back to public schools in Wisconsin. So instead of paying interest to a bank it actually goes back to something in the community. The average home in Chili is about $62,000 assessed property value. So the average home is only going to be looking at an increase of $50 a year over 10 years on their taxes."
Erin said this new hall would help the fire department serve the community better.
Erin said, "The fire department is just looking for a better opportunity to serve our community better. And this would really help. Right now, we're renting space across the fire hall to house one of our trucks. We just don't have the room."
This referendum will be on the ballot during the April 1st elections.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.