FREMONT, NE. — Fremont city leaders are moving forward with plans to build two new fire stations, approving ballot language for a half-cent sales tax increase to fund the construction at the August 25 city council meeting.
One of the new stations would be built at Military Avenue and Johnson Road on the southeast side of Fremont. The other would replace the current fire station at C and 16th streets.
City Administrator Jody Sanders said the existing station at C and 16th streets would not be renovated.
"It will be a full demolition and start from scratch --- from the ground up," Sanders said.
City administrators say the projects are needed to serve Fremont's growing population.
"As we get more industry into town, that's going to be more important," Sanders said.
The two new stations would be funded by a half-cent sales tax proposal that Fremont voters will have the chance to approve or deny in the fall.
Some city council members raised concerns about the extra cost for taxpayers.
"If we look at what we are asking for as a city --- the beverage and food tax, the property taxes, (and now) this tax --- it has a cumulative impact," Fremont Ward Four Councilmember Sally Ganem said.
Fremont Finance Director and Treasurer Jennifer Nabb said the jump from 1.5 to 2% sales tax is in line with other growing communities.
"Some of the other first-class cities, there are seventeen of them or so, that have gone from 1.5 to up to 2 percent," Nabb said. "The more we can bring in from outside communities, the less of a burden it is on the people of Fremont."
Other council members support the tax increase.
Ward One Councilmember Jeff Peterson pointed to the volume of non-residents who travel through the city.
"22,000 people a day drive down (23rd Street). They all aren't from here, but they all do one thing -- they stop, buy gas, get a coke, get a burger, or whatever it may be," Peterson said. "They are paying that sales tax, so it's not all on us."
The proposal will appear before Fremont voters on November 3.
In the meantime, Sanders said the city will continue to work with engineers on the fire stations' designs.
