BELGRADE — More than three years after Central Valley Fire District closed Station 2 on Springhill Road, neighbors are still concerned about how long it could take emergency crews to reach them.
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For Springhill resident Jim Martin, the neighborhood has plenty to offer, from mountain views to peace and quiet. But there's one thing he'd like to see back in the community: a nearby fire station.
The station's closure has left Martin and other neighbors questioning what response times could look like during an emergency.
“If you look in the windows, there's some fire trucks in there,” Martin said.
He compared having a nearby fire station to an insurance policy.
“Kind of like an insurance policy, you know, you hope you'll never need it, but you want it to be there,” he said.
Central Valley Fire District Deputy Chief Jeff Hurley says the district covers approximately 250 square miles, including urban, rural, and frontier areas.
“Urban, rural, and frontier areas that we have to cover,” Hurley said.
The district has struggled to find a sustainable way to reopen Station 2, particularly after voters rejected two previous mill levy attempts.
In April 2025, Hurley told MTN News the district had not yet discussed another levy because of the previous election results.
At the time, staffing the station with nine firefighters was estimated to cost more than $1 million annually. Hurley says that figure has since increased.
Concerns about whether another tax increase would have support across the entire district, including in Belgrade, have also complicated efforts to find a permanent funding solution.
Now, Hurley says the district may have another option.
Central Valley Fire has developed three revenue-generating programs involving wildland firefighting deployments, regional fleet services for emergency vehicles, and expanded emergency medical services transport for rural communities.
Hurley says the additional revenue could help offset expenses and provide more funding for Station 2.
The district is considering a hybrid funding model that would use those revenue streams to help staff and reopen the station.
Hurley describes the approach as a short-term fix while the district works toward a more permanent funding solution, potentially including another mill levy in the future.
The proposal is scheduled to go before the Central Valley Fire District Board of Trustees on Tuesday.
For Martin, reopening the station would address a concern that has lingered in the neighborhood for years.
“We need to find a solution to this challenge and problem,” Martin said.
