$6.5 million bond measure for Point Lookout-Lido F.D. upgrades fails

Majority of voters oppose Fire District initiative — again

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A $6.5 million bond measure that would have funded the maintenance, repairs and upgrades for Point Lookout-Lido Fire District buildings that officials say are desperately needed failed on Tuesday night, when a majority of residents voted against the proposal.

According to fire officials, 400 residents voted against the bond, and only 276 voted in favor.

“I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to vote on the proposal,” Steven Weitz, chairman of the board of commissioners, said in a statement. “Obviously, we are disappointed in the results, as we feel that the proposal was a sensible plan that was developed after many meetings with the community.”

As the Herald reported last week, the district attempted to pass a $7 million bond last year, for projects to upgrade its facilities, but residents turned out in impressive numbers to vote on the measure, and opposition to it was overwhelming. Of the 1,105 votes, 758 opposed it and 260 were in favor. Fire district officials said they had spent the past year listening to the community’s concerns and reworking the proposal in an attempt to make it more palatable to residents.

While the previous project would have cost a total of $7.5 million — the bond plus $500,000 from the department’s capital reserve fund — the new one was $1 million smaller, and would have been funded entirely with a bond.

Commissioner Andrew Richter said that the plan included only what the Fire Department needed to get by. The Main Firehouse, in Point Lookout, would have been renovated and expanded, while the Lido Firehouse would have been rebuilt. The project included upgrades to the equipment, training and bunkrooms, offices for administrators and new bathrooms with showers, so firefighters could shower at the firehouse after a call rather than bring dirt and toxins home with them.

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