UPDATE: Voters in the Village of Victor approved the referendum Tuesday, 210 - 94.
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Voters in Victor head to the polls Tuesday to decide the fate of their 215-year-old village fire department.
At issue is whether to dissolve the volunteer department run by the village and establish an independent joint fire district with the town.
Victor Mayor Gary Hadden says this discussion has been going on for a couple of years, and the referendum on the ballot calls for adding some paid firefighters to complement the 53 volunteers.
"What's driving that is the lack of volunteerism or the decline in volunteerism for the fire department and other organizations as well," he said.
Hadden says if the referendum passes, voters would elect commissioners for the new fire district which would serve the town and Village of Victor, excluding the Fishers Fire District.
He says the board would govern the district, determine the budget and the cost to taxpayers.
But, he argues, that even if the measure is voted down, there will still be a cost increase to taxpayers because of the need to hire daytime paid firefighters.
"Even if the village retains the fire department, there'd be a cost increase because we agree, as a board, there's a need for some daytime coverage and that's going to involve some sort of paid firefighter situation," he said.
Polls are open until 9 Tuesday night at the Victor Village Hall.