Committee proposes sales tax for new Jackson fire station

The Jackson Board of Aldermen's satellite fire station committee outlined a potential location and cost for a new fire station at the board's meeting Monday night. The proposal calls for a quarter-cent sales tax to pay for fire operations at the station.

The recommended site is property owned by the city on the east end of town, near East Main Street and close to Interstate 55. Because the city already owns the land, there would be no cost to taxpayers for the property, said committee chairman and Alderman Mark Dambach.

The committee estimated $300,000 would be needed to construct a 4,600-square-foot fire station. Dambach said that would be a small facility but large enough to house two firetrucks and their crews. The committee, which included fire chief Jason Mouser, said two three-man crews would work from the facility.

Committee members proposed taking advantage of the tax increment financing district where the property is located to generate the money for the building.

To fund the satellite station's operations, which includes personnel and equipment, the committee proposed the sales tax.

The proposed tax measure could appear on the ballot in Jackson as early as the November general election. Aldermen said they would vote at the Aug. 16 meeting whether to place it on the ballot. If it passes, the total sales tax rate in Jackson would rise to 6.7975 percent.

The satellite fire station committee was formed by Mayor Barbara Lohr three years ago to investigate possible locations, costs and funding sources.

Committee members said while the proposed property is not ideal, it was a good compromise to better situated properties that were too expensive.

Lohr said the committee was formed to address several issues facing the city's fire department. The city wanted to maintain its current insurance rating, and as the city continues to grow to the east, new construction will be farther from the city's only fire station, causing new developments to have a higher rating.

A satellite fire station would also provide an additional fire crew on duty at all times. If one crew was attending to an emergency, another would be available in case of a second call.

The mayor said she had also had concerns with the response time for a fire on the far east side of the city, particularly the back side of the Bent Creek area and Klaus Park.

In other business, the board:

• Appointed an Independence Day celebration committee.
• Appointed a community center committee.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

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