Farmington lined up $6.05 million in bonds and a $10.5 million land sale for its west-side fire station
After fiscal 2025 ended, Farmington issued sales and franchise tax revenue bonds and sold about 15 acres along Highway 89, saying all of the proceeds would go to a new fire station on the city's west side. Records reviewed don't yet show the station's full cost.
Continuing story: Auditing Farmington
Farmington issued $6,050,000 in bonds and sold about 15 acres of city land for $10,548,000 in late 2025 to pay for a new fire station on the city's west side, according to the city's fiscal 2025 annual financial report. [1]
Note 16 of the report says the city closed on the sales and franchise tax revenue bonds on Nov. 11, 2025, and completed the sale of roughly 15 acres bordering Highway 89 in north Farmington on Dec. 17, 2025. "All proceeds from the bond issuance and land sale will be used to fund the construction of the new fire station on the west side of Farmington," it says. [1]
Because both took place after the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, they are not reflected in the report's financial statements. [1]
Debt before the new bonds
At June 30, 2025, the city's governmental bonds were $3,485,000 in 2015 general obligation bonds for recreation and park facilities, due through 2035, and $156,037 in 2020 sales and franchise tax refunding bonds, due in fiscal 2026. The water fund separately owed $6,559,000 on 2023 water revenue bonds. [2]
The project budget
The city's impact-fee report for fiscal 2025, published Dec. 31, 2025, lists the west-side fire station, separate from a planned police substation, with a total project budget of $13,021,000. It shows $68,316 of fire facility impact fees spent on the project that year and $12,224,119 remaining for completion. [3]
The financial report's management discussion says there was little activity on the station in fiscal 2025, with $53,000 in additional design costs, and that construction was expected to begin in fiscal 2026. [4]
What the budget shows
In the fiscal 2027 budget worksheet the city filed with the state, the Capital Fire Fund's current-year estimate for fiscal 2026 shows $7,300,000 transferred in from other funds, $1,567,301 for building construction, $865,499 for land improvements and $121,552 in bond interest. [5]
For fiscal 2027, the same fund lists $205,000 in bond principal and $254,228 in bond interest, and no amount for building construction. [5]
A Feb. 17, 2026 City Council agenda listed an item titled "SIRQ Construction Manager / General Contractor guaranteed maximum price for Fire Station 72." The agenda does not give the price or say which station that is. [6]
Staffing and operating costs
The station's construction financing is separate from the cost of staffing it. On Aug. 18, 2026, the council adopted a property tax increase that the finance director said would raise $285,108 for three firefighters. [7]
At that meeting, the mayor said the city expects commercial and office growth north of Cabela's to generate enough property tax revenue to continue to support the fire station, according to the minutes. [7]
The bond amount is the face amount of the issue, not net proceeds, and the land-sale figure is proceeds as reported by the city. Neither is a measure of what the station has cost or what has been spent.
Sources
- Farmington City · FY2025 ACFR, Note 16: subsequent events
- Farmington City · FY2025 ACFR, Note 9: long-term liabilities
- Farmington City · FY2025 impact fee report, fire facilities
- Farmington City · FY2025 ACFR, management's discussion and analysis
- Farmington City · FY2027 budget worksheet, Capital Fire Fund
- Farmington City Council · Feb. 17, 2026 meeting agenda
- Farmington City Council · Aug. 18, 2026 minutes
Reporting by The Utah Ledger from the public records above. AI-assisted, checked against those records.