The City of Dexter will ask voters in November for funding to improve a specific public service. 

Dexter City Council Member and Firefighter TJ Morehouse says that when residents of Dexter go to the polls in the November general election they will see a public measure to build a new fire station. Morhouse says they have utilized their current fire station for the last 40 years and before it was a fire station it was a hospital. Morehouse mentions that the fire station is not big enough for today’s fire fighting equipment. He explains another reason why they had to put this on the ballot. 

“This is the first time the fire department’s ever asked for anything large like this from the city, from the residents. Construction of buildings like this today is so expensive. Fundraising efforts just don’t just aren’t enough really, to be able to provide for something like this.”

The ballot measure will raise Dexter homeowner’s property taxes by 4-percent for a 20 year bond and it won’t exceed $1.5 million. Morehouse says they have gotten a lot of good back on their plans. 

“Fire protection and EMS (Emergency Medical Services) support is up front in the minds of people and realizing the improvements that we can make with the new station. I think people understand that this is past due and that the longer we wait, the more expensive it’s going to get and it just needs to happen.”

Morehouse also explains that this measure could potentially improve their insurance Services Office (ISO) rating and improve their membership which in turn will help their response time.