Rugby’s new proposed fire station continued to move forward, following a meeting of the Rugby City Council’s Finance Committee earlier this month.

Officials at the meeting outlined more specifics for fundraising and set a tentative timeline for getting construction started.

According to the minutes of the meeting, Mayor Dave Cichos has been working on a number of grants which could help fund the station.

Rugby Fire Chief David Schneibel Jr. said the Bremer Foundation and Garrison Diversion are among the places where grant applications have been made.

“The cost of the building is $1 million,” Schneibel said. “The goal is to raise as much of that as possible without raising taxes. The plan is to not affect the taxpayers.”

According to the minutes, Cichos requested $100,000 from Pierce County to be placed in the budget.

Cichos also met with the Farmer’s Union Elevator manager, who will be making a donation request to the board of directors.

“We’re looking at any corporate opportunities or foundations we can apply to,” Schneibel said. “It’s going to be a combination of the city working on a few and the fire department working on a few.”

Letters are being sent to residents of the Rugby Fire District, which is the area that the station will serve.

The parties at the meeting agreed that a timeline was important to install for the public, potential donors and city and fire officials.

Cichos said once half the money is raised, he would feel comfortable to put out bids on the building.

“The plan we discussed was to go out for bids starting possibly in February with construction to start sometime in the spring, probably around May,” Schneibel said. “That depends on the funding. We had to put a timeline on it for a lot of the grant applications. They want to know when their money is spent, too.”

The Rural Fire Board recently purchased a new rescue truck, which would likely curtail their ability to help fund the project, according to the minutes, but wanted to support the fundraising letter, which will be sent to both the public and local businesses.

The new hall will be more spacious, allowing for more space for the trucks and equipment currently crammed in the current fire hall at its downtown location, but won’t have much for extra frills.

The site for new building, between Rugby Homes and RV Center and the Growing Place daycare center, was purchased in the late summer of 2011.

“The location will get us out of downtown and away from the school,” Scheibel said. “It’ll be safer for both the public and firefighters.”