By Rich Pollack
In an election with a light turnout, Highland Beach voters agreed to let town leaders spend up to $3.5 million on a public safety boat dock and renovation to the town’s old fire station.
Just 390 voters — a little more than 10% of those in town registered to vote — cast ballots, with 234 voting in favor of giving commissioners permission to spend money on the projects and 156 voting no.
“I’m very thankful for the people who voted in favor,” said Mayor Natasha Moore. “People are recognizing the importance of public safety.”
Police Chief Craig Hartmann and Town Manager Marshall Labadie have said the dock, planned for an area on the Intracoastal Waterway behind the town’s library, will increase visibility of the department’s marine unit.
It will also make it easier for Highland Beach’s marine officers and fire rescue personnel to respond to emergencies on the water.
The town is also hoping use the money approved by voters to demolish a part of the old fire station, just north of Town Hall, and upgrade the bay area where the town now keeps a backup rescue unit and a backup fire truck.
The price of the dock project is estimated to be $1.5 million to $2 million, and town leaders hope that the Florida Inland Navigation District will cover half the cost. Should that not happen, the town’s expense could be over $900,000, the current spending limit before voter approval is required.
Voter approval was also needed for the old fire station project, which could cost up to $1.5 million, or about $600,000 over the spending cap.
By putting the issue on the ballot, the town in essence hedged its bets so it can move forward without delays regardless of the outcome of the grant request for the dock or cost estimated for the old fire station.
“We hope we don’t have to spend over $900,000,” Labadie said.
Last year Highland Beach built a new fire station to replace the longtime station that Labadie said was too old, too small and below the flood plain.
While there were discussions about possibly keeping the entire building, Labadie said that the living quarters section would need too much work. Instead, the town is getting cost estimates for work to fix the bay area and electrical storage areas and replace the roof.
“We’re using the building for storage of $2 million worth of equipment,” he said.
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