Strafford voters will decide an $8 million general obligation bond in April for the city’s fire protection district.
Strafford Fire Chief Rusty Darnell said it’s an extension of a bond that was approved in 2022. The district has used the bond to build a new station and purchase equipment. Two trucks have been purchased that will be delivered in July. Darnell says it takes about two and a half years to get a fire truck, and the cost for one vehicle is now over $1 million.
According to Darnell, the ballot issue before Strafford voters on April 7 will not require residents to pay more.
"It's a no increase," said Darnell. "By state law, we're not allowed to put in the bond wording on the ballot that it's no cost."
He said the reason the Strafford Fire Protection District is asking for an extension of the bond is because the area is growing, and another fire station is needed on the western side.
"We're already got the land purchased. We're in agreement with the land purchase," he said." So, this will be building a new station. It will be doing some remodeling at our existing headquarters. Some of the work that was done on it when it was originally built was not built to spec, and it's shown now over the years, such as concrete and some of that stuff was not poured correctly."
The money would also allow them to continue to replace equipment and apparatus as needed.
Darnell said they operate on a tight budget. And he said he works with fire chiefs from four area counties to try to keep salaries competitive.
Voters will go to the polls on April 7.
