Town of Amnicon awarded $450,000 loan for new town hall/fire garage

The Town of Amnicon will receive a $450,000 State Trust Fund Loan to finance the construction of a new town hall/fire garage building. The Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL) announced the approved competitive interest-rate loan last week.

Town voters approved a referendum to build a new fire hall garage and attached town hall in November, with 65 percent of voters giving their approval for the move. The referendum was non-binding, said Amnicon Town Board Supervisor Mark Liebaert, but the board later approved the $450,000 project.

The town hall along US Highway 2 used to house the Wentworth Co-op, Liebaert said, and was already slated for a $10,000 heating system upgrade. The project won’t cause a big jump in taxes for residents, he said, as the town can borrow money at a low interest rate. The new construction would be similar in design to new town buildings that have sprung up in Lakeside, Cloverland and Hawthorne, Liebaert said.

Senator Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, has worked closely with town officials and the BCPL to help secure the funding and make a new town hall/fire garage a reality. The approved loan marks a critical step forward for the project, which when completed will provide the citizens of Amnicon a modern facility for the local government to operate, while also ensuring the volunteer fire department has appropriate storage for its engines and equipment.

“I am pleased the cooperation between the state and the Town of Amnicon will result in the construction of a new facility at an affordable price for taxpayers,” Jauch said. “This showcases the important role government plays in helping small, rural communities make major investments they might not normally be able to afford without assistance.”

He also commended the volunteer fire fighters and the community members who worked to secure funding for this new construction.

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