Fire district bond issue falls short of super majority needed for passage

A proposed bond issue in the Millersville Rural Fire Protection District failed to win the two-thirds majority needed Tuesday for passage.

The measure garnered 65.8% approval, just under the 66.6% needed for passage.

Voters supported the measure by a vote of 199 to 103.

Fire district officials wanted voters to approve a $900,000 general obligation bond issue to finance construction and equipping of a new fire station, replacing the district’s main fire station in Millersville.

Fire chief Ray Warner said last month the station is in poor shape and too small to house today’s firetrucks.

Fire officials wanted to construct a four-bay, 6,400-square-foot station.

The fire district has three fire stations, but its main station, built in 1977, can house only two of the district’s six firetrucks, according to Warner.

The district is funded with a property tax, which would have increased slightly if voters had approved the bond issue.

In the aftermath of Tuesday’s vote, Warner said the outcome is “what the community wants.”

He declined to comment further on the election.

The bond issue was one of only two issues on the ballot in Cape Girardeau County. The other was a liquor measure in Oak Ridge.

In the two elections combined, 355 voters went to the polls, amounting to just more than 11% of the registered voters eligible to cast ballots, election officials said.

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