What followed was a debate amongst members of the council and the community about funding mechanisms for the project. Kerr stated that the amount of money that the city currently has in the fire fund is insufficient to cover the cost of the station’s construction, and discussed the possibility of borrowing internally from other funds, including the police and waste water funds.

Councilmen Jim Ulm and Lee Ard showed opposition to the prospect of internal borrowing, stating that the city should consider borrowing funding that has already been designated for other projects as a last option. But, Mayor Andrea Bonham reminded the council that the City of Ione is currently completing payments on the last debt that the city has, and, given a substantial amount of money in the city’s reserves, as well as a good payment history, they could likely get a low interest loan to fund the project. At the end of the discussion, Kerr agreed to complete a financing report for the project, including several funding options, which she will present to the council at a later date.