Tewksbury Town Meeting Approves $15M New Center Fire Station

TEWKSBURY, MA -- With little debate, Town Meeting on Monday voted to borrow $15 million to build a new Center Fire Station, according to The Sun.

The project is estimated to hike taxes for the average homeowner by about $101 annually for the next 20 years.

With Town Meeting approval, the town will now prepare a bond package to finance the project and then seek bids for an architect so that the designing process can begin, The Sun reports.

The existing 51-year-old station is aging and outdated. Fire Chief Michael Hazel has stressed that a new fire station will be an updated facility.

In other votes, The Sun reports Town Meeting approved:

* A $103 million Fiscal Year 2018 budget.

* $600,000 to operate the Cable TV Enterprise Fund.

* The transfer of $25,000 from Overly Surplus to fund a Senior Tax Relief Work Program and a Veterans Tax Relief Work Program.

* $15,000 for markers, bridges, directional signs and kiosks on trails.

* $7.02 million to run the Water Enterprise Fund.

* $5.6 million to run the Sewer Enterprise Fund

* $23,580 to treat and clear Long Pond

* Doucette Field will get a $850,000 facelift with replacement bleachers, new restrooms and a new press box.

* A parcel of land located at 97 Florence Ave. will be used to build and sell affordable homes.

For more on this story read The Sun.

Special Town Meeting will tackle the remaining zoning articles at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Tewksbury Memorial High School.

For more information see the following:

May 3 Special Town Meeting Warrant

Annual and Special Town Meeting Handout.