Residents Soundly Reject Firehouse Proposal in Deep River, Connecticut

DEEP RIVER - Residents overwhelmingly voiced their objection to another project anticipated to improve town services through increased taxes.

On Nov. 27, residents at a 14-hour long referendum held at the Deep River Library rejected, on a 766-229 vote, a proposal to bond up to $3.85 million to renovate and expand the 1961 Deep River Fire Department Headquarters.

About 76.9 percent of voters rejected the proposal which had a voter turnout of approximately 32.6 percent of the town's 3,045 registered voters.

First Selectman Richard Smith said the result "wasn't a surprise" and that many residents expressed to him concerns about increasing oil and gas prices and a sluggish economy.

"People are concerned about every penny," Smith said, adding that while most agree the firehouse needs an addition, they questioned both the size and cost of this proposal.

Smith believes the Deep River Fire Department Building Committee will reconvene, reevaluate options, and create a downscaled proposal that could come to voters later in the future.

The project rejected by residents would have created a southern 5,154-square-foot addition to the existing 5,112-square-foot firehouse which sits at the junction of Elm and Union Streets.

The addition would have housed on its first floor a 1,660-square-foot meeting/training room that could hold up to 110 people, a kitchen, restrooms, radio room, and a relocated Emergency Operations Center.

Schematics of the second floor show that it would have included offices for the chief, deputy chief, secretary, and fire marshal, as well as a fitness room, conference room, lounge, bunking room, and flex space.

At both Deep River Fire Headquarters and the Winthrop Fire Station, the project would have allowed vehicles to be outfitted with a diesel extraction system and single-pane windows would have been replaced with double-pane windows.

Less than two months ago on Oct. 23, residents rejected a proposal to bond $2,485,000 and direct $500,000 in town funds for a proposal to renovate and expand the historic 1892 Deep River Town Hall.