SPRINGDALE -- City officials originally planned to build three new fire stations with bond money, but only two will be built, because of a lack of money.

Construction of the stations is funded through the city's Capital Improvement Program. Voters in 2012 approved a 1 percent sales tax, the revenue from which is used to retire the bonds sold to fund the capital program.

Capital Improvement Program money also is to be used for street projects and park construction. Projects in both areas have been impacted by higher than anticipated bids, and not enough money in the fund to pay for them.

The language residents voted on when approving the sales tax specified a portion would be earmarked for fire stations and equipment, but didn't specify how many stations would be built, said Wyman Morgan, director of city finance and administration.

Stations No. 2 and No. 3 will be relocated as planned, Chief Mike Irwin said. Station No. 2 will move from Dyer Street to Don Tyson Parkway next to Tyson corporate headquarters. Station No. 3 will move from Sanders Avenue to Glass Drive off Thompson Street.

What would be Station No. 7 will not be built immediately, but officials have purchased the land on Har-Ber Avenue west of Hellstern Middle School for $230,000, said Doug Sprouse, Springdale mayor.

The bids for building Stations No. 2 and No. 3 came in about $3 million each. About $9 million was designated for the Fire Department, but part of it will go toward new equipment.

Even if officials somehow cut construction costs on Stations No. 2 and No. 3, there would still be a problem with finding the money to pay for staffing Station No. 7, Sprouse said. Officials looked at revenue projections for the city and saw that they would most likely have to use reserve money if they decided to build and staff the station. Sprouse said he wasn't comfortable with that.

Sprouse said he is disappointed that the bids for relocating the two stations came in as high as they did. Bids have been coming in higher than expected lately because companies are busy. The northwest city park project also cannot be built with bond money, because the lowest bid for the southeast park project came in higher than expected.

Sprouse said he spoke to people about the goal of building three stations before the sales tax election. The land for two stations was purchased with bond money, and the lot for Station No. 2 was donated by the Tyson family.

There are several ways a city can pay for new fire stations, but the most common method is with a bond, said Ken Willette, manager of the Public Fire Protection Division at the National Fire Protection Association. Some cities will also use money from their fund put aside like "rainy day money." Once there is enough money in the program, city officials can build with it.

Fire stations are generally expensive to build, because they act as businesses, homes, offices, garages and storage spaces, Irwin said.

"It's kind of everything combined together," he said.

The decision to relocate Stations No. 2 and No. 3 came after a study of the city in 2012, Irwin said. The study helped department officials realize that response times would be better if the stations were moved.

The stations were built in 1964, only have space for one fire vehicle and don't meet some of the newer standards, Irwin said. Those standards include a separate area for decontamination and a different structure for living quarters.

Separate areas for decontamination and storage are important, because they prevent health problems from chemicals firefighters can bring back to the station, Willette said. Older station designs don't have always have these amenities.

There will be a groundbreaking event at the site of Station No. 2 within 10 days, Sprouse said. The event will act as the groundbreaking for Station No. 3 as well.

Springdale officials are uncertain what will be done with the old locations of Stations No. 2 and No. 3, Irwin said. They might be sold, if the city can't find a use for them.

Bentonville, Rogers and Fayetteville fire departments also are building new stations or conducting studies to see where their next stations will be needed, according to officials.

Station No. 6 in Bentonville is under construction, said Brent Boydston, fire chief. Work on the station started a week ago and they hope to have it finished by Jan. 1. It is located near the intersection of Southwest Regional Airport Boulevard and Southwest I Street and will be about 9,100 square feet in size. The station will cost $2.1 million, and the money is coming from general funds.

Bentonville officials also purchased property for Station No. 7 in 2005 and are discussing when they will need to build it, Boydston said.

Officials in Rogers started construction on a new Station No. 2 last week.

The station has been at 1907 S. 17th St.for 40 years, said Tom Jenkins, fire chief. It's new location will be about a block away at 1800 W. New Hope Road. The new location will help reduce response times by about 30 seconds.

The station will cost $2.3 million, and is part of the 2011 bond program approved by voters, Jenkins said.

The new station will be significantly larger that existing Station No. 2 with two floors and about 12,000 square feet. The current station is one story and about 2,400 square feet in size.

"The current facility is just crammed," Jenkins said.

Officials in Rogers also are working on plans for Station No. 8 which will be built west of Interstate 49 near Cave Springs and Lowell, Jenkins said. Streets in that area are being widened, which will be helpful for fire engines once the station is built. The station won't be built for another few years.

Officials in Fayetteville aren't building any stations, but they are working on a study to determine where the next station will be needed, said David Dayringer, Fayetteville fire chief. The study is based on calls for service and population growth.

Dayringer said most of the city's growth has been around the University of Arkansas, and he predicts that is where the next station will be needed. There is already a station on campus, but it's small and only has enough room for one fire engine.

He expects the study to be finished sometime this fall.