Thank you to the Landmark for publishing Jacquelyn Paine’s very informative letter. The closure of the Riverside Fire Station North of the tracks is a complete deal-breaker. I can’t count how many times a freight train has been stopped on the tracks and I’ve either waited for a half hour or had to just drive to 1st Avenue just to cross the tracks. Many of us are familiar with this experience. There is no way any public safety chief can say with a straight face that the 70% of us north of the tracks are going to be more safe with our fire station closed. We will be less safe. The current plan makes no sense.
I also have to question the town’s leadership, likely that of the past, who allowed the facilities to deteriorate to the point where they have boarded up windows and require a $4-8 million remodel. This should not happen. Good stewards budget for upgrades and repairs. Regardless of the approval or not of a new station, the town’s leadership should provide a systematic review of what led to the deterioration and how they plan to prevent such situations in the future. Who wants to invest $30 million in a new facility when the stewards of the last one allowed it to degrade in such a way?
Also, on Aug. 28, 2024 Stella Brown reported in this very paper that Riverside had a budget of $20 million for the new facility. In 2 years they’ve gone 50% over budget. How is this being fiscally responsible with our tax dollars? Where is the explanation from current Riverside leaders as to why they are so over their own budget?
The village of Riverside should pause the referendum and go back to the drawing board with a plan that doesn’t close fire station #2 north of the tracks, ensures our public safety facilities aren’t neglected in the future, and doesn’t cost $30 million.
A link to Stella’s previous reporting:https://www.rblandmark.com/2024/08/28/riverside-building-new-police-fire-facility
Mike Dobbins, Riverside
