Will (staff member) presented Fire District 11's preliminary budget request and spoke about the district’s plan to add part-time staff and to build a station. Staff said the district had roughly $400,000 in savings toward a station and that board members had identified a site with low or no land cost.

What commissioners heard: Staff and commissioners discussed cost estimates for a new fire station and found a wide range of possible budgets. One staff estimate, based on an older 2018 drawing and current prices, put a ballpark cost in the $3 million–$3.5 million range; the district reported a vendor quote that was much lower at roughly $1.6 million. Commissioners noted that the new district has an immediate operational need (daytime coverage and chief relief) and a longer-term capital need for a station.

Commissioners emphasized planning before raising the levy sharply. "My issue is... we don't want to jump the mill levy up for almost ... a 75% increase and you just formed this district and that's not real palatable to the people," a commissioner said. Commissioners suggested a phased approach: move an initial one- to 1.5-mill increase to fund day staffing and planning, commission a site/architect study and then revisit any further mill increases once a firm budget and design were available.

Why it matters: District 11 (Towanda) would change local property-tax burdens if the district adopts additional mills for operations and debt service. Staff recommended using a 20-year term if borrowing for construction to align debt life with asset life and suggested engaging an architect and preliminary design work before asking voters or adopting levy changes.

Next steps: Commissioners asked staff and the district to prepare a stepwise plan: define near-term staffing needs, scope preliminary design and costs with an architect or pre-engineered building vendor, and return with a recommended levy schedule and timeline. No levy increase was adopted at the meeting.