The committee planning a joint central fire station and public works yard has launched an informational website about the proposed $58.3 million project.
The website, investinabington.com, features engineering studies of the existing fire stations and public works facilities, and renderings of the planned structures, which will be located on Central Street next to the Abington Police Station. It also describes some of the shortfalls of the current structures, and has links to submit questions.
“Our hope for the website is to give all the residents the information they need to make a sound decision, including the potential tax impact on their respective properties, and to understand the current conditions of our facilities that desperately need to be addressed,” said Derek Haimaidi, chairman of the Fire Station/DPW Building Committee.
The plan calls for a combined fire station along Central Stret large enough to house all the town’s apparatus and on-duty firefighters, as well as the administrative offices for the public works department. Additional structures will be built in the rear of the complex to house all the DPW’s equiment, as well as store salt and sand.
Town voters will be asked to approve the project at a Special Town Meeting on Oct. 14 at 9 a.m. If it passes, voters will then be asked on Oct. 21 to approve a temporary property tax hike to pay for the 30-year bond. Once the bond is paid off, the tax hike will automatically come off the books.
The project would add $1.36 to the town’s tax rate. A house valued at $500,000 would see their annual tax bill increased by $680.
The website includes a calculator to help residents estimate the financial impact on their personal budgets.
Residents can email questions to
DHaimaidi@abingtonma.gov, and one of the committee members will respond.
The committee is scheduled to meet next on Aug. 23.
Haimaidi said a town resident donated the website and the development time.
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