DUXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, VOTERS went to the polls this past Saturday to cast their ballots on the Town’s tax measures.

One of the proposals was to begin design schedules to replace the overcrowded and inadequate police and fire station.  Currently it is one building shared by both agencies.  The planning would include exploring the option of replacing it with another dual-use building, or construct two separate facilities.

The estimated cost for two new buildings is approx. $16 million.  The Board of Selectmen even prepared a slide presentation for the citizens showing the inadequacy of the police and fire dept. offices.  Designed for 11 officers forty years ago, the PD now has over 30 officers.  Both departments also suffer from the inability to fully utilize modern equipment for lack of space and infrastructure.

The fire department’s slide show is online and you can view the appalling working conditions HERE.

Photo showing that diesel exhaust
blasts onto the gear racks

EMS de-con and gear-cleaning area
(Firegeezer wonders why the State Health
Department hasn’t been brought into this.)

Click the above link to view all 30 photos.

However, the votes failed to approve the $1 million tax-override measure to begin the replacement process.  Andre Martecchini, chairman of the Board of Selectmen says, ”When people have the opportunity to say no to raising their taxes, many people take advantage of that. I don’t blame them.”

But to illustrate just what their priorities are, the taxpayers approved only two measures.  One of them  was  a $163,000 debt exclusion override for design plans to renovate the town swimming pool.

The Boston Globe has the STORY.
The Quincy Patriot-Ledger has MORE.
Duxbury Fire Dept. WEBSITE.

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