Bill Williams is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media voters in Stuyvesant District No. 1 Fire Company this week approved a $1.88 million bond proposal that would increase the size of the firehouse and allow for renovations to the structure, Stuyvesant Fire Chief Steve Montie said. The total number of votes cast was 217, with a final tally of 122 to 95 in favor. The 6,800-square-foot addition will consist of five apparatus bays to house the company’s trucks and other equipment, including the department’s boat. The new building will be built next to the existing firehouse. The project will result in a property tax increase of $1.04 per $1,000 of assessed value, or approximately $155 a year over 15 years, for the average Stuyvesant property owner. The new addition will be built using prefabricated metal roofing and siding. The fire company hopes to begin construction in the spring, Montie said. The company will be able to continue using the existing structure while construction takes place. The existing firehouse was built in the 1950s and has been renovated six times over the years. Fire company members campaigned aggressively for the project, going to every house in the district and providing information on the proposal. The Stuyvesant Fire Company covers District 1, or roughly two-thirds of Stuyvesant, including 10 miles of of the town's riverfront. It is also responsible under mutual aid to cover water rescues on Kinderhook Lake and on the Stockport riverfront. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.