SUGAR CREEK — The town of Sugar Creek does not have a fire station after years of paying into the Elkhorn Area Fire Agreement. They are now learning what it could cost after East Troy provides fire coverage in 2029.
WATCH: Financial advisor shows Sugar Creek possible cost of building fire station
Sugar Creek town chairman David Robers told TMJ4 Chief Investigative Reporter Jenna Rae in June there is a site ready for a fire station adjacent to town hall. He said the empty site was a factor in why Sugar Creek decided to leave the agreement with the Elkhorn Area Fire Department after 2028.
"We're living on borrowed time because something is going to happen and it's going to be a bad, bad thing," Robers said then.
Robers told TMJ4 then that East Troy's fire department is willing to bring the Sugar Creek fire station to life.
"They're actually going to be moving on gravel, and we're going to build a building for them right here."
Sugar Creek hired municipal financial advisory group Ehlers to determine how much a new fire station and town hall could cost.
Ehlers advisor Kayla Thorpe remarked the project could cost $8 million while sharing the results of her study during Monday's town board meeting.
"Start making decisions now so you don't get to October 2028 and realize you have a $300,000 deficit you were warned about," Thorpe said during her report.
Thorpe also mentioned Sugar Creek may have a more difficult time financing the project than other municipalities because the town is not noticeably growing in population.
"That's actually a hindrance when we talk about sustaining operational services because that means you can't really raise your property tax levy," Thorpe said.
Robers told TMJ4 after the advisor's report that East Troy is willing to move existing fire and emergency vehicles to Sugar Creek if the new fire station is built.
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