FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 3, 2016
Contact: Tracy LeClair
ERFPD Community Risk Manager/PIO
(970) 471-5284 | tleclair@eagleriverfire.org
VOTERS SUPPORT BALLOT QUESTION
TO FUND FIRE STATIONS AND FIRE TRAINING FACILITY
AVON, CO – Voters approved Eagle River Fire Protection District’s (ERFPD) request to replace aging fire stations in Avon and Edwards, as well as to construct a much-needed training facility, currently being proposed in Minturn. Unofficial results indicate the measure passed by 57.2% percent, with 1744 voting yes/for and 1296 voting no/against. Clint Jansson received 1602 votes to represent ERFPD District 3 and Cindy Moran received 1574 votes to represent ERFPD District 5. Both candidates ran unopposed.
Results must be certified no earlier than 8 days and no later than 14 days following the election, and will be certified by the District’s Canvass Board on Monday, May 16.
ERFPD Ballot Question A asked voters to approve the issuance of $25 million in general obligation bonds to replace outdated and undersized facilities as part of the District’s long-term critical facility plan. Approval will allow the District to improve response times throughout ERFPD’s regional service area as well as facilitate the relocation of the District’s 100-foot ladder truck to the urban core.
“The support of this measure demonstrates that public safety is a vital and essential service that people know they need. Even with economic concerns still on everyone’s minds, voters determined it was important to maintain or improve emergency response,” said Eagle River Fire Protection District Chief Karl Bauer. “We are obviously pleased and honored by this show of support.”
Over 12,000 ballots were mailed on April 11 to registered voters within Eagle River Fire Protection District boundaries, which span from Tennessee Pass to Wolcott.
The funding will be used to construct the District’s portion of a Joint Public Safety Facility just north of I-70 in Avon, which will serve as a new home for the Avon Police Department and also function as a regional station for ERFPD. Following completion of the Avon facility, the District will focus on replacing the aging Edwards fire station, which was built as a temporary structure in 1985. Both new facilities have been designed to address current service capabilities as well as anticipated growth for the next 50-plus years. The District intends to break ground on the Avon facility by August, 2016.
###
