St. James residents set to vote on future of historic firehouse

<p>Residents in St. James are fighting over the future of a firehouse in the community.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

News 12 Staff

Jun 17, 2018, 2:42 AM

Updated 2,367 days ago

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Residents in St. James are fighting over the future of a firehouse in the community. 
On Tuesday, voters will decide the fate of the history St. James firehouse on Route 25A.
A referendum is on the ballot to determine if the building can be sold by the St. James Fire District for $500,000 with plans to move firefighters to another station on Jefferson Avenue.
Some in the community held a rally Saturday to encourage voters to make sure the firehouse stays where it is.
"The community owns the firehouse," said Troy Rosasco. "We would like to maintain the control of the firehouse in the community and make sure that this continues to be a working firehouse."
While some also are concerned about their safety, the St. James Fire Department told News 12 there will be no change to response time for residents.
In a statement, the department said in part "For nearly 90 years, the main firehouse was under the ownership of the St. James Fire Department. During this time, we safeguarded the property and preserved its rich history for the betterment of our community. This is exactly what we intend to do if the community votes to approve the sale of the main firehouse."