Residents in the Foothills Fire Protection District in Jefferson County (CO) are raising eyebrows at a $25 million request for a new fire station, according to a report published by KDVR Fox 31.
The real cost of the station is $12.7 million but interest and other costs over the 30-year period will drive the cost closer to the requested amount of $25 million, according to the report.
Residents in the district have been protesting the ballot request at the location of the proposed station, saying the cost is too much, the report says.
The fire department says the request might be high because the district officials don’t want to have to go back to the voters because they under estimated inflation costs, the report said.
The fire district would also like to create apartments in the station to create affordable housing for firefighters, thus providing 24-hour coverage, according to the report.