Excerpts from DailyHerald.com: The fire department in Pingree Grove is once again seeking voter approval to borrow $8.5 million for the construction of two new fire stations. Officials believe these new facilities will better serve the community as the population continues to grow. If voters approve the referendum on March 20, property owners could expect a tax increase of approximately $90 per year for a home valued at $300,000. This amount is $27 less than the projected increase from last year, according to Fire Chief Mitch Crocetti. The reduction is due to the district's growth since the previous vote in April 2017, which was rejected by residents. The Pingree Grove & Countryside Fire Protection District plans to repay the loan over 20 years. $2 million will come from the district’s general fund, at a rate of $100,000 annually, while the remaining $6.5 million will be covered by a property tax increase that will expire after two decades, Crocetti explained. To help inform the public, the district is hosting informational sessions. One will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Cambridge Lakes Community Center, located at 1125 Wester Blvd., Pingree Grove. Another session is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday at Station 2, 10N980 Rippburger Road, Plato Center. The district employs 54 firefighters who responded to 1,096 emergency calls in 2017—an increase from 1,036 calls in 2016. Covering a 50-square-mile area, the district serves around 15,000 residents across Pingree Grove, the northern part of Campton Hills, and unincorporated regions. More housing developments are expected in the Cambridge Lakes area. Currently, the district operates three fire stations. Two of them—Station 2 on Rippburger Road and Station 4 on Plank Road—are considered outdated and would be closed and sold if the new stations are built. Station 2 is currently unstaffed, and Station 4 uses trailers for firefighter housing. “These were built as callback stations and were never meant to be lived in,†Crocetti said. Even if they could be upgraded, their locations are no longer suitable for modern fire response needs. The new stations, which will include living quarters for firefighters, are planned for land to be purchased on Highland Avenue, just east of Coombs Road, and on Dittman Road, about one mile south of Plato Road. The district has already allocated approximately $600,000 from this year’s $3.3 million budget to buy land and commission architectural designs for the new buildings. Welder Machine,Laser Welding Machine, Can Welding Machine,Tin Can Welder Zhoushan Putuo BODA Machinery Co., Ltd. & Saga Trading (Zhoushan) Co., Ltd. , https://www.boda-machinery.com