The Wheatland firehouse design is still a work in progress, but a special meeting of the electors to vote on spending up to $2.5 million for an addition to existing station will take place Monday, Aug. 10.
Town chairman Bill Glembocki made a motion to determine if the $2.5 million price tag would fly with residents. It was approved by a 2-1 vote, with supervisor Kelly Wilson casting the dissenting vote.
Wilson said she disagreed with presenting the $2.5 million figure apart from a plan that voters may be willing to spend more on.
In February, voters rejected a referendum to spend $3.8 million on a new firehouse developed by a committee that included Wilson and members of the fire department. The town has been working with Scherrer Construction since then to design an addition to the existing firehouse at a cost not to exceed $2.5 million.
However, Glembocki said the vote will determine the level of financial support the community is willing provide rather than the design.
That plan, presented earlier this month, is still being tweaked to take into consideration comments from fire chief Lou Denko, who still favors a new building.
“I don’t feel building onto the old building is a good move,” Denko said of the 40-year-old station.
The latest version of the plan, which is already being altered to move the parking lot and flip the location of the addition, connects four new, deeper apparatus bays to the existing four-bay building. It also adds a gear laundry room and locker room, restrooms, office space, a training room, and a kitchen and lounge area with room for a future bunk room.
Any legal resident of Wheatland who is old enough to vote can vote on motions raised at the electors meeting.
Clerk Sheila Siegler said the location of the meeting has yet to be determined. Meetings at which a larger crowd is possible have been held other locations to facilitate social distancing.
PIKE RIVER CLEAN UP

A group hauls garbage from the Pike River near Highway E during the Pike River Cleanup event on Saturday. See more with this story at kenoshanews.com.
PIKE RIVER CLEAN UP

From left, Morgan Mayer, 17, Johan Meyer, 13, and Zach Kozmer, 18, look for garbage during the Pike River Cleanup event on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019. The Root Pike Watershed Initiative Network is working to ensure that the Foxconn development does not have a negative impact on the Pike River.
PIKE RIVER CLEAN UP-photo of the day

A cleaner river
Jonah Meyer, 13, left, carries a piece from a vacuum cleaner he found during the Pike River Cleanup event on Saturday. Working with him is Zach Kozmer.
PIKE RIVER CLEAN UP

A group combs the Pike River using canoes to collect garbage during the Pike River Cleanup on Sept. 21, 2019.
PIKE RIVER CLEAN UP

Dave Mayer, left, and Dan Meyer haul garbage with a canoe during the Pike River Cleanup event on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019.
PIKE RIVER CLEAN UP
PIKE RIVER CLEAN UP

Nick Petts, left, watches as Doug Meyer, center, puts a discarded tire on a canoe during the Pike River Cleanup Saturday.
PIKE RIVER CLEAN UP

Kyle Tobias stacks discarded wood on a canoe during the Pike River Cleanup event on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019.