One of the fundamental duties of your Board of Trustees is to be alert to changes in our community and make sure the Department is well-positioned to operate in light of changing dynamics. “Staying ahead of the curve” so to speak, well serves district residents as we anticipate, plan, and budget for growth and trying to avoid financial surprises. The attention we place on building capital reserves funds is a good example of how we are managing large capital expenses within the operating budget, rather than through requests for tax increases.
It is in this forward-looking context that we are soliciting proposals to provide conceptual designs for a new fire station located at 5400 Gooch Hill Road. The growth in this area of the district has long been a topic for board conversation and is evident as one drives from Four Corners to Bozeman. It is also evident, from a cost and delivery perspective, this is not a favorable environment in which to begin a large capital project. The desire of the board is to be better informed about our options at the Gooch Hill site and new opportunities for station design since the completion of the Sourdough Station in 2013.
Given the current economic environment, we do not anticipate engaging in a new station construction project anytime soon. Any discussion regarding station planning will be properly noticed on the board agendas. As always, we encourage your participation in our regular meetings, on the third Tuesday of each month at the Sourdough Station. If it is not convenient for you to attend, you will find a record of this planning process in the board minutes posted on this website. Thank you for supporting our community and the Hyalite Rural Fire District.
Pete Geddes, Chairman of the Board
HYALITE RURAL FIRE DISTRICT 