Potential voter-approved investments: library, fire station, aquatic center, housing
Summary
West-end fire response times are creeping toward 10 minutes, and the commission will discuss possible ballot asks — fire station, library, swim center, mental-health response — on October 6. Fischer warned that long, complicated ballots train voters to say no, and reps asked why a rolling ballot or a combined civic campus couldn't work.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 3
- Last 30 days
- 0
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Sep 15, 2026.
Impact analysis
These projects would require voter-approved funding; Fischer noted the city relies heavily on property tax revenue amid rising taxpayer fatigue.
West-end residents waiting long for fire and EMS response would benefit most from a new station.
Property taxpayers already showing fatigue on levies would bear the cost of any approved ballot measure.
Mentions & discussions (3)
Downtown Area Urban Renewal District Board September - Sep 15, 2026
The City Commission will hold an October 6 work session on what to ask taxpayers for — a second library (the foundation will build it, but operations need $2 million a year), a fourth fire station, an aquatic center, affordable housing, and possibly mental-health crisis response. Commissioners also discussed a joint meeting with Belgrade on shared water and sewer capacity.
Inter-Neighborhood Council - Jul 9, 2026
West-end fire response times are creeping toward 10 minutes, and the commission will discuss possible ballot asks — fire station, library, swim center, mental-health response — on October 6. Fischer warned that long, complicated ballots train voters to say no, and reps asked why a rolling ballot or a combined civic campus couldn't work.
City Commission - Jun 23, 2026
Commissioners removed the $19 million fire station placeholder from the budget, keeping $70,000 for general ballot education, so they can first decide among competing asks — fire, mental health crisis response, library, swim center, Streamline. Twelve SAFER-grant firefighters face layoffs if no funding passes in November 2027.
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