Residents of the villages of Albion and Saylesville will head to the polls during a special election this spring to decide whether or not to merge their two fire districts into one.
Before the decision is put to the taxpayers, residents of both districts will be able to learn more about the details of consolidation at public informational meetings. Dates for those meetings haven’t been locked in yet, but are expected to take place soon.
Once residents are informed about the process, they’ll vote on whether to merge the Albion and Saylesville districts into a single entity called the Lincoln Fire District.
Legislation paving the way for the merger was approved by the Rhode Island general assembly last year. According to the bill, the districts have until Dec. 31, 2020 to effectively consolidate, and any extension beyond that date would require General Assembly approval.