The Wright City Fire Protection District will move forward with the construction of a new fire station following the passage of Prop F with 4,248 votes for (65.75%) and only 2,213 (34.25%) against, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election.
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The Wright City Fire Protection District will move forward with the construction of a new fire station following the passage of Prop F with 4,248 votes for (65.75%) and only 2,213 (34.25%) against, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election.
“Our community absolutely deserves this, they came out and supported us and we support them,” said WCFPD Chief Ron MacKnight.
The money will be dispersed between several expenses, but the priority with the bond issue is to replace WCFPD Station 1, according to MacKnight.
The district plans to completely replace Station 1 by developing a plot of land on Bell Road that was purchased roughly 20 years ago into its new headquarters.
The district already had some concepts designed by Cochran Engineering for what a potential new Station 1 could look like, but even with the funds from the bond issue on the way, there is still a long way to go.
Next the district will have to go out for bond to make the funds available so they can start on construction, a lengthy process that MacKnight said could take some time.
He was uncertain when they would be able to issue the bonds but said that if he had to guess those funds would be available some time in the next three to nine months.
The construction of a new Station 1 will eat up roughly $6.5 million of the bond issue with $2.5 million appropriated for improvements to Station 3 on Highway WW and $1.3 million to pay down existing debt from their 2019 bond issue and to purchase a new pumper truck.
With the remaining $500,000, MacKnight said they would also like to continue some maintenance work on Station 2 on S. Stracks Church Road..
According to the district website, based on a 20-year financing plan, the bond issue will cost homeowners of a $250,000 home an additional $12.27 a month in taxes.
MacKnight could not commit to a start date for construction because of the uncertainty of the bonding process but said the district remains committed to keeping its citizens informed on every step of the way.
“We’re gonna keep everybody posted along the way,” said MacKnight. “That transparency that we’re proud of, we’re gonna keep that up.”
