KASSON TWP. — Kasson Township in Leelanau County is asking voters to approve a $5.8 million bond proposal for a new fire station.
The funding would go to Cedar Area Fire and Rescue, which serves over 5,000 residents, or around a quarter of Leelanau’s population.
Andy Doornbos, chief of the department, says that the new facility would reduce response times for the western part of the township.
It would also allow for two firefighters to be stationed at each facility.
“There’s an extended response time to the west side of our district, especially through the wintertime,” he said. “And it just has been identified through a couple of different research projects by the department — we need something on the west side of the district.”
Doornbos says he’s hopeful the project would break ground within the next year if approved by voters.
The 25-year bond would levy around 1.8 mills per year, or about $180 a year for a property with a taxable value of $100,000.
The election will be held on Nov. 4, and in-person early voting will be available by Oct. 25.
Absentee ballots are able to be requested online and returned by mail, or in-person. The state suggests voters make those asks at least two weeks before the election to ensure ballots are returned on time.