Lewis County voters living in Onalaska’s Fire District 1 will have the option to vote on a bond issue that, if approved, would finance construction of a new fire station on Alexander Road in Onalaska.
The issue was put on the ballot by a resolution passed by Fire District 1 commissioners which would issue no more than $1.7 million of general interest bonds to be paid back through excess property tax levies.
Assessments indicate Fire District 1 property owners would be on the hook for an estimated $0.61 per $1,000 of assessed value, said Fire Commissioner Rich Bainbridge. Property assessed at $200,000 would tally to $10.24 a month toward repaying the bond, set to mature in 20 years.
Onalaska’s main station at 244 Carlisle Avenue has had a troubled past with mold and asbestos. After the Department of Labor and Industries pointed out a list of needed fixes, Bainbridge said the commissioners had to ponder whether the old building was worth the price tag to fix.