Bozeman City Commission Puts First Responder Levy, Fire Station Bond on Ballot

BOZEMAN — Yesterday, Bozeman City Commission voted in favor of putting the First Responder Levy and Fire Station 4 Bond on the November 2024 ballot. Bozeman citizens will now have the opportunity to decide whether they want to fund more firefighters and police officers along with building a new fire station on the west side of the city.

“We’re excited to see this issue be placed in the voter’s hands to decide,” Interim City Manager Chuck Winn stated. “The fact is that we haven’t meaningfully added staff in these departments since the 2007 mill levy and we’re still operating with that same capacity even though Bozeman has nearly doubled in size. We also knew when we relocated Fire Station 2 we would need to fill the gap in service on the west side with a new fire station. These are important things for residents to know and weigh as they make their decision.”

Bozeman voters can expect to see one question on their ballot related to the hiring of 30 new police officers and 22 new firefighters, plus eight new non-sworn positions in Police and three new non-sworn positions in Fire. Hiring will happen in phases with the goal of hiring all positions by fiscal year 2030. The new positions in Fire will be used to staff Fire Station 4 and implement a quick-response vehicle program, while the new Police positions will allow the department to create a dedicated traffic unit and increase crime prevention.

The second question on the ballot is related to the construction of a fourth fire station. Currently, the layout of the three fire stations leaves a gap in service for those on the west side of town, resulting in longer response times for those who live in the southwest corner of the city. If voters support this bond issue in addition to the mill levy, the City will be able to build, equip, and staff Fire Station 4.

Those interested in learning more about the ballot issues can visit the City’s website or call 406-582-2322. City staff will also be giving educational presentations on the issues to any interested group in Bozeman. To request a presentation, email tclark@bozeman.net.