Mattituck voters reject $13M bond proposition to expand its firehouse

Voters in Mattituck for the second time rejected a bond proposition that would have expanded the firehouse on Pike Street.

The $13 million proposal was defeated Oct. 24 in a 423-112 vote that fire district officials said was “unfortunate.”

Residents shot down a similar $11 million proposal in June 2022.

Fire officials cited rising construction costs as the reason for the increase in the bond proposal.

Mattituck Fire District commissioners said the brick firehouse, built in 1929, no longer meets the needs of the department due to space constraints and does not comply with state and federal safety mandates. Firefighting gear and equipment are currently stored between narrow truck bays, posing a risk to volunteers preparing to answer emergency calls, they said.

The proposal called to renovate the firehouse and add a two-story structure to house new pull-through truck bays, a community meeting room, kitchen, office, training and gear areas.

Plans also called for demolishing a district office building on the property and relocating the existing firehouse to make room for the expansion.

“Our need for space and government regulations will only grow with the price tag in the future,” district commissioner Jason Haas said Wednesday. “We will have to make some changes to our current accommodations and equipment.”

Taxes for the average homeowner in Mattituck would have risen by $114 annually.

There are 3,940 taxable properties within the district, Haas said.

Last year, the department responded to 683 emergency calls, an increase of about 25% since 2013.

District officials on Wednesday did not announce plans for a new proposal or revote, but plan to regroup at their next meeting on Nov. 14.

“It’s definitely going to be on the agenda,” district manager Jessica Harris said.