Citizen Petitions for ME Community's Second Fire Station
By Donna M. Perry
Source Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine
LIVERMORE FALLS — If wording on a citizen-initiated warrant article is deemed legal, selectmen agreed Tuesday to put it on the Nov. 3 ballot for voters to decide whether to build a fire substation in East Livermore village.
Resident Sheila Scanlon said most fires in town are in the mobile home park off Park Street/Route 133 and Leeds Road/Route 106 in East Livermore. There is no hydrant system in the area and the town Fire Station is several miles from Pine Ridge Loop Park.
The petition was signed by 110 registered voters, qualifying it for an initiated article on the ballot.
The article calls for selectmen to secure a site and provide for construction of a substation for one firetruck within a mile of Park Street and Leeds Road. If passed, the article would also authorize selectmen to enter into a lease purchase or finance agreement for up to 20 years, with payments from taxes not to exceed $20,000 per year. Building maintenance would be budgeted under the buildings account or the Livermore Falls Fire Department.
Selectman Heather Bronish said the article wording is vague.
Interim Town Clerk Amanda Leclerc suggested legal counsel review it.
Voters at the annual town meeting in June 2018 agreed to explore the possibility of building a fire station in East Livermore. However, in a vote later that year residents rejected using up to $10,000 from surplus to study the feasibility of building a station on tax-acquired property on Route 106 in East Livermore, near the mobile home park. The study was estimated to cost $5,000 but the town manager at the time wanted to make sure there was enough.
In other Fire Department business Tuesday, Fire Chief Edward Hastings IV informed the board of a used 2000 ladder/pumper truck in Cumberland with a 75-foot aerial ladder. He said he hasn’t seen it.
The aerial ladder on the town’s 1987 truck is 110 feet, and the truck has several deficiencies but is in service.
If the department gets the used truck for a certain price, Hastings said, it could be paid from a reserve account and leave enough to budget air packs for 2021-22.
Selectmen said they would review the specifics on the truck and would let him know.
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