LAKEVILLE — Concerns were raised at the Nov. 18 Lakeville Select Board meeting about the wording of the January ballot vote that would decide the future of a new fire station.

Lakeville voters will go to the polls Jan. 28 to decide whether to support a debt exclusion for a new $21.5 million fire station that was approved at the Nov. 12 Special Town Meeting.

This second vote is needed before the project, which Special Town Meeting voters approved by a wide margin, can officially begin.

At the Select Board meeting, Board Member Brynna Donahue questioned why the question does not include an actual dollar amount. 

She said she was concerned that “price could balloon’’ and “there would be no recourse.’’ 

The wording asks whether to approve a debt exclusion “in order to pay the costs of designing, constructing, equipping and financing a new fire station, including the payment of all costs incidental and related thereto’’ but does not list a dollar amount.

Select Board Chair Lorraine Carboni, who also serves on the Fire Station Building Committee, said that because the Special Town Meeting voters approved a specific cost, the actual dollar amount, she said, “can never go higher’’ without further approval.

She said the $21.5 million was the figure that Fire Station Building Committee members agreed would cover the cost of the station. 

Select Board Member Maureen Condito said that contingencies are built into projected costs.

Still, she and Carboni, who along with Donahue were the only board members present, agreed to bring the issue to Town Counsel. Donahue noted that a dollar amount was specified in previous questions that went before voters.

“When anyone is looking to incur debt, it’s very important to understand what amount you’re looking to incur,’’ Carboni acknowledged. 

A debt exclusion, as opposed to a Proposition 2 ½ override, allows a town to temporarily raise the levy limit without changing that levy limit for future years.

Town Administrator Andrew Sukeforth agreed that “it’s better to be safe’’ and noted that the town had until Dec. 23 to finalize the wording, which gives them time.

Select board members are scheduled to bring the wording issue to Town Counsel and discuss the situation further at the Dec. 2 Select Board meeting.