$19M Dix Hills fire district bond defeated

Voters have overwhelmingly rejected a proposal that would have built a new multimillion-dollar fire complex for the Dix Hills Fire District.

The $19.75-million bond proposal was defeated Tuesday by 1,179 to 349 votes, with two invalid votes cast, said Larry Feld, chairman of the board of the fire district. "The voters have spoken," he said, adding that the board must meet to assess its options.

The bond would have allowed for a 31,400-square-foot firehouse to be built for about $11.2 million, along with a $3-million maintenance building and $5 million for a new training tower, temporary facilities, and other site improvements.

The district had estimated fire district taxes would have increased by $145 a year for a home valued at $600,000.

Michael Shain, one of the key organizers against the bond proposal, said he was gratified by the vote. "We had 1,600 residents coming out last night in the pouring rain basically to turn this bond down," he said Wednesday. "The taxpayers don't have an open checkbook anymore."

Shain said he agreed that the existing building, which the district said was built more than 50 years ago, needs work. But Shain said he hopes a committee from the community and fire district will create a plan to renovate the existing building.

"There's a lot of distrust right now because of the way they tried to put this vote through and the size and scope of the project," Shain said. A plan made by a community/fire district committee "would have no problem."

The district estimated it would cost about $7.6 million to update and repair the current firehouse.

The vote came after another vote scheduled for March was postponed when residents complained about limited voting hours, lack of absentee ballots, and other issues. The board added three hours to the voting time.