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WESTON, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – Leaders in Weston and Rib Mountain are considering separate funding referendums for their combined fire district.
The beginning of the holiday season is typically a busy time of year for areas like Rib Mountain.
“We’re getting into that season. You can already tell Rib Mountain Drive is extremely busy. There are a lot of people in the shopping area. And then Weston has a large industrial part. Which brings a lot of employees each day,” says Josh Finke, S.A.F.E.R. Chief.
That means things could get even busier in the S.A.F.E.R. Fire district, on top of what’s already been a busy year.
“This year we’re on pace to call for assistance from surrounding districts over a hundred times during the one year,” says Finke.
The department is handling that workload with less-than-ideal staffing. Finke tells WAOW TV that his department has half the staff of other departments that serve similar-sized communities.
Both Villages will hold public information sessions about the proposal in the coming weeks. Any potential referendum question would need to be finalized by the end of January to be placed on the April ballot.
Editor’s note: A previous headline on this story incorrectly states that the referendum could combine the departments; they are already combined.
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