Boise (670 KBOI News) – The $17 million dollar Boise Fire bond that voters approved in 2014 was supposed to have rehabilitated four fire stations, and built the new fire training center.
The problem…with two fire stations to go, the bond money has run out.
City spokesman Mike Journee says they worked the numbers before the big construction boom hit, and building prices went through the roof.
“Over-optimistic estimates, coming off the heels of the Great Recession, when the construction market was low, and construction materials were not as expensive as they are now,” said Journee. “There were changes made to the building and changes in building scope, especially with the fire training center.”
They also planned on renovating Fire Station number 9, near State and Collister, but since have found it needs to be replaced altogether.
The good news is, the City will not be going to taxpayers for another bond. Journee says increased sales tax revenue from the booming economy will be put toward the project, and they’ll put off the Fire Station 5 renovation until 2022.
