Summerlin mail-in vote clears way for fire station

Sun City Summerlin residents approved a new fire station in a mail-in vote, allowing the city of Las Vegas to move forward with plans to construct the facility on the northeast corner of Del Webb Boulevard and Sun Dial Drive, just off Lake Mead Boulevard.

The ballot deadline was Wednesday and the outcome, tallied Thursday, was 5,518 for and 657 against. At least 5,213 yes votes were needed to approve the project.

“By noon, it was looking very favorable,” said Richard Post, president of the board of directors for Sun City Summerlin. “But it took several hours to validate them.”

The fire station is expected to cost upward of $4 million and will be maintained by the city of Las Vegas. No timeline has been set to break ground.

Plans call for the station to have two bays, a pumper engine and an EMS rescue/ambulance. Six staff members will be scheduled for each shift — two firefighters, two paramedics, one engineer and one captain, providing round-the-clock coverage.

Most of the activity at the station likely will involve emergency medical care, Post said.

“There’s not so much of a concern for fire in this community as there is for rescue calls in our community,” Post said. “It would be a great benefit to have (medical personnel) respond quickly.”

Fire officials have said one of the main goals of the new station is to enhance response time to Sun City Summerlin.

The vote represented the second attempt to have the station approved. Ballots were previously sent on Nov. 4, 2008, but participation didn’t meet the community’s covenants, conditions and restrictions, which call for a 67 percent voting majority. Of the 7,781 residents in Sun City Summerlin, about 4,500 votes were cast. New ballots were sent out Jan. 5 to residents who had not already responded.

Contact Summerlin and Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 387-2949.