Only 106 residents turned out to vote in the $1.25 million bond issue supporting Bayou Vista fire protection Saturday.

Fire Protection District 7 Chairman Claude “Ricky” Roberts Jr. said the same three mills residents currently pay for fire protection will be rededicated under the parish’s recent reappraisals to pay for a second bonding issue.

According to unofficial results from the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office, 80 percent of those who did vote were in favor of the measure. Some 85 people voted for it, while 21 voted against. Of those, 10 were absentee votes with six voting in favor.

The additional money will be used for a new engine room at the La. 182 fire station as well as at least one new fire truck. It will retire a 1985 engine that has reached the end of its life with the Bayou Vista Volunteer Fire Department, where it is not fiscally reasonable to repair the pump; but the working truck will be donated to a rural department in need, Roberts said.

The chairman also indicated the bonding issue is written for 20 years on the referendum, but the district’s intention is to pay it off in 15 years.