Voters turned out in the hundreds Tuesday night during a special town meeting, approving a proposal to build a new fire station, bershireeagle.com reported.

The measure passed with an overwhelming majority (509 people voted yes, and 32 people voted no), the report said.

The Williamstown Fire Department, as well as the fire district, hoped residents would see the value in a proposed 22,000-square-foot, $22.5 million project. The Select Board ($225,000), as well as Williams College ($5 million) and The Clark Art Institute ($500,000) have pledged to donate a combined $5,725,000 to the project. That means the remaining $16,775,000 falls to taxpayers, according to the report.

Estimates from the fire district, determined before The Clark Art Institute’s $500,000 pledge Monday night and the Select Board’s promise of American Rescue Plan money, the first year of payment would cost taxpayers about 30 cents per $1,000 in assessed valuation, the second year about 50 cents per $1,000 in assessed valuation, the report said.

Monrovia Volunteer Fire Department recently accepted delivery of its newest apparatus, Tower 512, a 100′ aerial by Pierce, the department announced on its Facebook page.

With the growth of the area and the continued development of multistory structures, this apparatus was much needed, the department said.

A 1920 Seagrave Ladder Truck used in parades and popular with residents is undergoing extensive repairs before returning to the road, AtholDailyNews.com reported.

An Athol Fire Department official said the truck is being repaired at Gasper Automotive Restoration in Manchester (CT), the report said. The garage specializes in restoration of vintage trucks, cars and antique fire apparatus. Because of the age of the ladder truck, finding parts can be difficult, so some came from collectors while others were custom-built at Gasper Automative. One of the truck’s cylinders had to be replaced and was taken from another vehicle at Gasper.

It’s estimated the work will cost between $20,000-$25,000, and paid for by the Athol Firefighters Association, according to the report. The plan is to have it back on the road in March.

For immediate release:

The Mansfield, Foxboro, and Norton fire departments were awarded a $527,550 Assistance to Firefighters Grant, the Mansfield Fire Department said in a news released posted on Facebook Monday.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program is a competitive federal grant initiative designed to help municipalities manage the financial burden of delivering fire protection and emergency medical services to their communities. The leadership of the Mansfield, Foxboro, and Norton Fire Departments are proud to bring this funding home to our communities.

The funding will be utilized to replace existing antiquated or failing portable and mobile radio units. Expenditures will be for must-have items that would have otherwise been funded through our local tax levy.

This grant was made possible through the support of the Southeastern Massachusetts Regional 911 District (SEMRECC) who is funding the 10% funding match required by the federal government.

We would also like to thank Congressman Auchincloss and Senator Elizabeth Warren’s offices for all of their support at the federal level for this grant.