Toms River Voters Consider Fire Elections, Budgets

TOMS RIVER – Voters will be deciding on fire commissioners and fire department budgets in two districts this weekend.

Elections will take place on Saturday, February 18, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Toms River District 1

In District 1, three people are running for two, three-year terms as fire commissioners: Mark Autenrieth, David Burns, and Jesse Sipe.

There are five questions on the ballot.

Question No. 1 asks voters to approve the $8,079,874 budget, of which $5,314,850.47 would be raised by taxes.

Question No. 2 asks if the fire district should include $12,201.36 from previous years’ capital questions into the general budget.

Question No. 3 asks if the district can appropriate $450,000 to buy replacement fire apparatus.

Question No. 4 asks if the district can appropriate $44,800 toward the total cost of $70,000 for two vehicles for the Bureau of Fire Prevention. This amount is District 1’s portion of the cost. District 2 would be responsible for their portion.

Question No. 5 asks to appropriate $120,320 for interior lighting enhancements, a high pressure breathing air compressor and refill station, surface replacement and additional upgrades at the Toms River Township Fire Training Center. This amount represents District 1’s portion of the cost. District 2 would be responsible for their portion.

Toms River District 2

In District 2, there are three people running for two, three-year terms as fire commissioners: Joseph G. Duff, Richard Heroy, and Christopher Silva.

There are four questions being put to voters.

Question No. 1 asks voters to approve the $4,603,451.83 budget, of which $3,228,000 would be raised by taxation.

Question No. 2 asks authorization to upgrade the Opti-Com system, expected not to exceed a cost of $77,893. This work would be done in 2018.

Question No. 3 asks if the board can authorize $25,200 for two vehicles for the Bureau of Fire Prevention. This is District 2’s portion of the cost. District 1 would be responsible for the rest.

Question No. 4 asks if the district can appropriate $67,680 for interior lighting enhancement, a high pressure breathing air compressor and refill station, surface replacement and additional upgrades at the Toms River Township Fire Training Center. This is District 2’s portion of the cost. District 1 would be responsible for the rest.