PERU — Townspeople will vote June 14 on whether to raise and appropriate funds to replace the Worthley Pond fire station.
Voters will be asked whether to accept additional land surrounding the Worthley Pond fire station, not to exceed 3 acres, from Carol Sweatt. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Town Office.
The subsequent article asks residents whether they wish to raise and appropriate $50,000 and authorize the selectmen and treasurer to secure financing up to $80,000 to be paid off in two years to replace the fire station.
Fire Chief Bill Hussey said the station was built in 1970, and it wouldn’t be worth putting money into renovating it because it has a lot of dry rot and damage.
“The whole back end of the building is all rotten, and the beams are starting to get rotten,” Hussey said. “Right now, we can’t even wash the truck that’s down there in the winter. There’s no water. There’s no bathroom. It’s a building with a truck in it.”
The station is about 5 miles from the West Peru fire station.
Voters also will decide whether to raise and appropriate $10,000 to support operations of the Peru Community Center under the supervision of the selectmen, and for the article to be included on the annual budget warrant.
The Friends of Peru Elementary School maintains the property and manages the building and pays for its maintenance through fundraisers, grants, fees from events held there and rent from various groups.
The article was placed on the warrant after a citizen petition signed by 139 people was placed before the Board of Selectmen.
At the board’s Feb. 29 meeting, selectmen voted 2-2 on whether to place the article on the town meeting warrant. The tie meant the measure failed to pass.
At the board’s next meeting, members of the Friends of Peru Elementary school presented the petition to selectmen. The board voted to accept it and to place the article on the warrant.
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