Ongoing Requests - Preliminary Budget Request

What is a ongoing request?

Ongoing requests are for goods, services or personnel that will require an ongoing funding source from property taxes unless otherwise noted.

All approved requests listed below are preliminary. The commissioners will not make final decisions until the final budget hearing on Sept. 3.

Central Services

Fleet Geotab Devices - $5,082 - APPROVED

Would fund Geotab devices for 22 county vehicles to facilitate vehicle maintenance and locating staff in an emergency.

Funding source: New property taxes (General Fund)

Community Justice Department

Hard funding Re-Entry Navigation Specialist position - $98,500 - DENIED

Would create a stable funding source for this position, which is currently funded by the Montana Crisis Diversion Grant through summer 2027.

Vehicle lease - $5,000 - APPROVED

Would replace the departments’ current vehicle with an annual lease for five years. This car is used to help transport clients, especially those who are working with the Watershed Navigation Center.

Funding source: New property taxes (Community Justice Department)

Detention Center

Create a new fund for future PREA audits - $3,500 - DENIED

Would create a new fund to cover PREA audit every three years, which is required as part of the jail’s contract with the U.S. Marshals. The fund would receive $3,500 annually.

Sheriff’s Office

Additional Courthouse Security Officer position - $83,050 - APPROVED

Would add an additional security officer position in the Missoula County Courthouse. This new position will operate the new security upgrades to the Annex entrance.

Funding source: New property taxes (General Fund)

Taser contract - $59,334 – PENDING

Would fund a contract provides for new Tasers, software and cartridges for Sheriff’s officers, the needed software and cartridges for a five-year period. Taser has moved away from a direct purchase to a service model and this contract reflects that change. Total additional cost of the contact is $296,670 over five years.

Ecology & Extension

New vehicle lease - $7,380 - APPROVED

Would replace a department-owned vehicle that broke down recently and is used for field work.

Funding source: Existing property taxes (County Extension Service)

Increase hours for Climate Resiliency Educator position - $11,727 - APPROVED

Would increase hours for the current Climate Resiliency Educator, which was initially funded by a federal grant in 2025 that was then rescinded. This position is currently .65 FTE (26 hours per week) and the department is requesting an additional .15 FTE (6 hours per week) to bring the position to .8 FTE (32 hours per week).

Funding source: Existing property taxes (County Extension Service)

Facilities

Part-time staff position - $33,994 - DENIED

Would move one part-time employee currently shared with another department to be a full-time Facilities employee.

Public Works

Increase to base budget - $750,000 - APPROVED FOR $408,000

Would fund an increase to base budget for asphalt and chipseal to address road and bridge projects. Example projects include larger re-paving of Big Flat Road, Blue Mountain Road, Pattee Canyon and Six Mile Roads. This request was approved as 3 mills, so the dollar figure will change each year.

Funding source: New, county-only property taxes (County Public Works - Road)

Technology

Two new positions - Deputy Director and IT support - $208,000 - APPROVED

Would be created using vacancy savings by moving two recently retired positions from GIS and Records Management. This new position would address workload concerns, and this person would be responsible overseeing staff who manage core issues related to hardware, software and network operations.

Funding source: Existing property taxes (County Tech Fund)

Increase for Tech User fee - $61,100 - APPROVED

Would increase the countywide Tech User fee by $80, which is the first increase since 2021.

Funding source: Department charges

Rate increase for Telephone Services - $78,060 - APPROVED

Would increase the countywide fee for telephone services to account for Partnership Health Center’s departure from county administration. This also sets the stage to move telephone services to cloud-based system.

Funding source: Department charges