Miles City votes to pass bond to replace unstable fire station

Miles City, Montana – The $3.9 million bond to help upgrade the town’s lone fire station was put to a vote by Miles City residents, who could either accept or reject it.

Tuesday night, the final vote was verified by Miles City firefighters but was not immediately accessible.

The authorized funds will be used to reconstruct the badly needed station, which has been a concern for more than five years after inspectors declared it hazardous in 2018. The firefighters were compelled to vacate the building and relocate into nearby modular homes.

The building’s main problems include, among other things, moldy insulation, deteriorating wood structure, and an uneven and sinking foundation. The majority of the equipment required is not kept in the building; for example, firemen need to drive a $1 million ladder truck 12 minutes each way to another facility.

Although the Miles City Council has been considering the fire station issue for years, according to Mayor John Hollowell, it was never feasible to locate the funds to address it within the parameters of the current budget until recently. Where the current fire station is located on Main Street, a new one will be constructed.

For example, a $200,000 home would see an annual tax rise of roughly $80 for the residents.