Thomaston gears up for Feb. 4 Special Town Meeting and secret ballot vote: New fire/EMS Station, ordinances, cemetery sale
The Town of Thomaston will hold a Secret Ballot Referendum on Tuesday, February 4, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to vote on building a new Fire and EMS Station.
New Fire-EMS Building
On June 13, 2023, Thomaston voters supported reserving land at Thomaston Green for a new Fire and EMS Station.
Since then, Port City Architects has collaborated with the town to conduct a needs assessment and create a preliminary design for the new station.
Originally estimated at $8 million, the project cost has been reduced to $7 million. Voters will be asked to authorize borrowing up to $3.5 million to finance the project, with an additional $3.5 million sought through Congressional earmarks.
Town officials, including Select Board Chair Chris Rector, Town Manager Kara George, and Fire and EMS personnel, have engaged with representatives from Senators Angus King and Susan Collins’ offices and Representative Chellie Pingree’s office, according to a news release from Town Manager George.
A public open house in early October gave citizens an opportunity to visit the current Knox Street station and learn about the project.
"These efforts aim to secure additional funding to support this critical project," said George. "Voter approval is essential before applying for Congressional earmarks. The application window is typically brief, opening in March. This may be the Town's final opportunity to pursue congressional earmarks, as alternative funding sources for this type of project are scarce or nonexistent."
Project Benefits
According to the town, a new Fire and EMS Station will:
- Improve response times with 24-hour first responder coverage.
- Meet OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) facility requirements.
- Enhance recruitment and retention of qualified first responders by demonstrating our commitment to their work and our community.
- Expand emergency services by adding training space, adequate sleeping quarters, and larger apparatus bays.
Public Workshop
A public workshop will be held on Wednesday, January 8, at 6p.m. with Port City Architects and the Fire and EMS Building Committee. All citizens are encouraged to attend, learn more about the project, and ask questions.
Special Open Town Meeting
Following the Secret Ballot Referendum, a Special Open Town Meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 5, at 6 p.m. This portion of the meeting, like the Annual Town Meeting in June, requires in-person attendance to vote.
Town Meeting Agenda
- Knox Street Rebuild Project: Voters will be asked to remove the requirement that the Town receive “assurance of availability of other funds and grants sufficient to completely fund” the Knox Street rebuild project.
- Code Enforcement: Voters will be asked to adopt the 2021 ICC/IRC codes (International Code Council/International Residential Codes), recently adopted by the State of Maine, for Code Enforcement. An additional question requests adoption of the new proposed fee schedule.
- Cemetery Sale: Voters will consider approving the sale of Butler Cemetery on Thomaston Street to Mr. Lawrence Butler, a descendant who wishes to maintain the family cemetery through a private trust.
- Georges River Regional Shellfish Management Ordinance Update: Voters will consider adopting proposed changes to the GRRSM Ordinance, which governs shellfish management across five member towns: Cushing, St. George, South Thomaston, Thomaston, and Warren.
Key Dates
- Select Board & Budget Committee/Fire-EMS Project: Monday, December 9, 2024, at 5pm
- Proposed New Fee Schedule Workshop: Thursday, December 12, 2024, at 5pm
- Absentee Ballots Available: Monday, January 6, 2025
- Public Workshop with Port City Architects: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 6pm
- Public Hearing: Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at 6pm
- Election Day: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 (Polls open 8am to 8pm)
- Special Town Meeting: Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 6pm
Your participation is essential. Please join us in the democratic process by voting and attending the town meetings. For more information, visit www.thomastonmaine.gov, sign up for notifications, or stop by the Town Office at 13 Valley Street.