Tisbury voters have approved spending almost $7 million to build a new emergency services building.
By a margin of 562 votes to 397 they endorsed the borrowing of $6.8 million to construct the new building on Spring street, opposite the Tisbury elementary school, on town land which is currently the site of the town hall annex.
And by a slightly smaller majority — 538 to 404 — they approved borrowing another $115,000 to temporarily relocate the annex.
The plan to co-locate the town’s fire, ambulance and emergency management services at a site away from the busy downtown area of Tisbury has been in train for several years.
The current fire station, built almost 45 years ago is too small, and a study concluded the cost of repairing or extending it was prohibitive.
Work on the new building is expected to start in February.
As a result of last night’s vote, taxes in Tisbury will increase by about $25 per $100,000 — or about $200 a year on an average $800,000 property.
Electors also approved an override to make the final $150,000 debt service payment for a bond originally issued in 2001.
In previous years, that repayment was made out of the town’s regular budget, but because of a shortfall in this year’s budget, the town otherwise could not afford to do that unless it cut other services.
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