Voters to Decide on Tax Increase for Rock Community Fire District

Voters in the Rock Community Fire Protection District will be deciding on a $10 million bond issue that would end up costing taxpayers between 9 and 10 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

The money would be used to fund improvements to Fire House No. 1 off Jeffco Boulevard in Arnold, to buy new equipment and to refinance existing debt, according to a Jan. 17 article in the Arnold-Imperial Leader. The proposition would need approval by a four-sevenths majority vote to pass.

Preliminary plans call for about $6 million of the bond issue to refinance existing debt, reports the weekly newspaper. The rest would be used for fire house improvements and new equipment, including two new firetrucks, breathing apparatus and other equipment.

Ron Harder, a district spokesman, told Patch that the district is in "dire need" of self-contained breathing apparatus, which consists of the mask/tank combo firefighters use when entering smoke-filled buildings.

"Each mask is retrofitted to each individual firefighter's face so the smoke can't get in," he said.

Harder said Fire Chief Jim Allred is working on an outline of the projects the bond issue would pay for and specific costs. Allred was unavailable for comment late Wednesday afternoon.

The district serves Arnold, Kimmswick and parts of Imperial and Barnhart.

Patch will provide additional updates as they become available.