Fire Department Public Hearing, Tuesday, April 28, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Peru, NY – On Tuesday, April 28, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Peru Volunteer Fire Department will conduct a public hearing to address questions regarding the need to borrow an additional $600,000 to finance its fire station’s expansion/upgrade project. The hearing will take place at the fire station, 753 Bear Swamp Rd.
On September 3, 2024, voters approved, by a margin of 121 to 70, the Fire Department’s plan to expand and upgrade its fire station. At the time, Architectural Engineering and Design Associates (AEDA) estimated the department would need to borrow no more than $5 million. However, when contractor bids were opened on April 7, the project cost totaled $6.65 million—significantly higher than anticipated.
To fill the gap, the department can use its $710,000 Building Reserve and $340,000 in district funds, but will still need to borrow an additional $600,000. Chad Frechette, Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, noted that AEDA now projects a tax rate increase of 51 cents per thousand of taxable value, which is lower than last September’s estimate of 72 cents per thousand dollars of taxable value. Falling interest rates should also help reduce borrowing costs. If the estimates hold, property taxes on a $300,000 home would rise by $153 over the 25-year loan term.
Voter approval is required for the department to borrow the additional $600,000 needed to move the project forward. A special election will take place at the fire station on May 5, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Posted: April 27th, 2026 under Adirondack Region News, Community Events, Fire Department News, Northern NY News, Peru News, Peru/Regional History.