St. James residents on Tuesday voted against allowing the local volunteer fire department to buy a historic firehouse.

The structure stands on Route 25A. The fire department was looking to buy back the fire station from the St. James Fire District, for the same price it was sold for five years ago: $500,000.

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Some residents who supported the sale felt it was important to ensure that the firehouse remained intact for years to come.

However, the majority wanted it to remain in taxpayers' hands over fears that the volunteer fire department wouldn't have the money to keep it open.