Voters in the Marlboro Fire District will decide on Tuesday, November 25, whether to approve a major renovation and expansion of the district’s 50-year-old firehouse. The building, constructed in 1975, has not undergone significant upgrades since it was built. The proposed project would renovate the existing structure to meet ADA, NFPA, OSHA, and building code requirements, while adding more than 8,000 square feet of new space. The expansion is designed to provide additional apparatus bays, updated firematic storage, and improved safety accommodations for the district’s more than 55 volunteer firefighters.
District officials say the current building no longer meets modern standards, creating operational and safety risks for both firefighters and the public. The project aims to bring the facility into compliance and provide sufficient space for equipment, training, and daily operations.
While the improvements are widely recognized as necessary, voters face a tax increase of more than 50 percent to fund the project. While voters face a large percentage increase, the overall levy remains relatively small compared to school and property taxes in the area.
According to figures provided by the Fire Department, the project requires an $11.5 million bond—$9 million for the expansion and $2 million for renovations. Using an estimated interest rate of 4 percent, the district outlines the following impact on a home assessed at $300,000:
- Current average annual fire tax: $620.22
- Increase per $1,000 of assessed value: $1.18
- Average annual tax increase: $353.13
- Average monthly increase: $29.43
For a home assessed at $500,000, the annual levy would rise from approximately $1,000 to roughly $1,600.
Voting will take place Tuesday, November 25, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Marlboro Firehouse, 14 Grand Street in the Village of Marlboro. Planning Board presentation minutes from October 6 are available on the Town of Marlborough’s website.
Below is the informational flyer published by the Fire District:
Leave a Reply