With a vocal opposition in place to protest the cost for a new fire hall, Mayor Ron Toyota has instituted an option to raise some of the funds to reduce the tax burden.
“I am inviting citizens of the Creston area to contribute money toward construction of a new fire hall by donating to the ‘Mayor’s 1000 Club’.”
Donations of more than $100 will qualify for a tax receipt that can be declared as a charitable donation on income tax returns.
“I will personally donate $1,000 in 2017 after a successful referendum for borrowing, and I pledge to donate a further $500 in both 2018 and 2019,” he said on Monday. “If 1,000 citizens donated $1,000 we could raise $1 million of non-taxation dollars for this essential piece of infrastructure.”
Why do we need a new fire hall, he was asked.
“The health and safety of our firefighters is potentially compromised as result of deficiencies in the existing fire hall,” he said. “We need the fire hall to be functional in the event of a natural disaster and it’s not constructed to Post Disaster Standards.
“The current building and site, a converted 1950s grocery store, is simply too small, so a renovation would be very expensive and still not sufficient for now or the next 50 years.”
Toyota said he believes an investment in a new fire hall is a way of maintaining a healthy fire department.
“I personally support our local firefighters, who deserve to work in a safe and efficient work place,” he said. “Join me in this effort to offset the cost of a new fire hall by donating what you can.”