Town Meeting members voted overwhelmingly to appropriate $1,000,000 for the design of a renovation and addition to the Atherton Street Fire Station under Article 36. Fire Station Building Committee Chair Brian Walsh presented a stark look at the 1901 facility, noting that modern fire trucks are too large to fit in the existing bays and that the station lacks critical decontamination areas for firefighters exposed to diesel carcinogens.

The proposed $16.1 million project would feature a five-bay configuration to house modern apparatus and a potential forest fire tanker for the Blue Hills. Town Administrator Nicholas Milano informed the meeting that the project would require a debt exclusion, resulting in a tax increase of approximately $127 to $130 annually for the average Milton single-family home. It will translate to about a 1% increase on the average single-family home, Milano stated.

While the article passed with the required two-thirds majority, Precinct 7 member Brian Kelly expressed concerns about the durability of materials used in previous station renovations and questioned the use of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds for fire stations. Despite these concerns, the body moved forward with the design phase, marking a major step in the town's nine-year effort to modernize its fire facilities to meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.

Motion: To appropriate $1,000,000 for architectural, engineering, and project management services for the Atherton Street station.

Vote: Passed 192-6-0