ANDALUSIA, Ill. — The Andalusia Fire Protection District, which serves Andalusia and Edgington, is looking to build a new $2 million fire station in Andalusia. On Monday, Feb. 19, the Protection District hosted a town hall to discuss the plans with the public.
"If you walk through the Andalusia station, we've got about two feet between the front door and the door where the trucks start. The space is just outgrown," Andalusia Fire Protection District Fire Chief Justin Hicks said.
The current fire station was built in 1974. In 2021, the Protection District bought two acres of land intending to build a new station. That goal is now closer than ever.
"Most of the money we've saved over the last handful of years is for a down payment on a fire station," Hicks said. "It's possible that as long as we don't have any major expenses that come up that we're not prepared for, we can almost put $800,000 down at this (new) building right now."
The new station would be more than 13,000 square feet. The current station would be sold, however, taxes would be raised for residents. For a $100,000 home, property taxes would increase by $112 a year.
"We did at one time look at adding on to the (current) station, but since it's in the floodplain, now we have to update with all the new flood things, flood venting all that stuff, and the cost of that just gets pretty high," Hicks said.
The referendum to build the next station is on the March ballot. If passed, the Fire Protection District hopes to break ground in August.