Butte-Silver Bow advisory committee advances planning for Floral Park consolidation

The Butte-Silver Bow Fire Advisory Committee on April 7 discussed developing a consolidation or dissolution plan for Floral Park Volunteer Fire Department and agreed to prepare a deliverable recommendation for the Director of Fire Services.

Committee members said trustees and council commissioners would have the legal authority to approve any consolidation. Jake Hanley, a volunteer department representative, said the charter requires a two-thirds council vote for dissolution or consolidation and that accurate GIS maps are a prerequisite: "the consolidation plan, according to the charter requires 2/3 votes from the council commissioners," he said and presented a preliminary map that he described as the most complete copy available.

Race Track VFD representative Jason Willoughby said he has discussed consolidation with Floral Park’s leadership: "I've talked to their Chief, Brian Cullen," Willoughby said, and added that one path forward would be for trustees to meet and for the advisory group to facilitate discussions. Members stressed the need for accurate district boundaries; Willoughby and Jake both said the group should obtain updated GIS maps from county staff and archives before drafting a formal recommendation.

Several members outlined what a usable deliverable would include: a clear map of affected district boundaries, trustees’ positions, options for which departments would merge (for example, Race Track with Floral Park or Home Atherton with Floral Park), and a capital-improvement plan that would account for apparatus relocation and equipment commitments to volunteers. Bill Boyle said volunteers must receive "promises and promises kept" for equipment and capital improvements if consolidation proceeds.

The committee discussed practical barriers including building heights that limit apparatus movement and the availability of station facilities. Josh O’Neill, committee chair, said the advisory group should start a project team with at least one career and one volunteer member to gather information and build a recommendation to present to the Director of Fire Services.

Next steps assigned at the meeting included Willoughby contacting Floral Park leadership and Paul Quilici to convene preliminary talks, obtaining updated GIS maps and asking GIS staff to present district boundaries at a future meeting. The advisory committee did not take a formal vote on consolidation at this meeting; members agreed to continue work and return with a plan.