[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6057278,"mediaKeyId","3307382-d47c5eaeae7a850d45eab56ecc4777a4","parentId",3307382,"title","Government buildings manager warns aging portfolio and funding cliff will strain Butte‑Silver Bow maintenance","audioSeconds",2541,"startMs",2929000,"endMs",5470000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307382-d47c5eaeae7a850d45eab56ecc4777a4&start=2929&end=5470","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307382-d47c5eaeae7a850d45eab56ecc4777a4/thumbnail_2929000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6057278/Silver-Bow-County/Montana/Government-buildings-manager-warns-aging-portfolio-and-funding-cliff-will-strain-ButteSilver-Bow-maintenance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6057278-8da3898eb62199058209c0dc22bfd6d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178104&Signature=ORAr2C6Q2pNfnQs8li8zNTrHOV93L2~jToKbtEcVZXRKd23Ak2KxZzZ-nbUXx9RqVKAd4WF0ib3sHdVhZA-adj9~em8-Rn1zhspI4-q30iRgVD4FwwRMJ4OagYa62W6J9qiGXSnZhzHR3UFUWs1v3gua4ldtzIYSjlDTpqVRBUq0sujXBak1KKFlw3R6EtA~5Mb-ublGKEFvJLL4dwyqvVYPC5nHMe8OlrDtGd1k3Sojtr06EnGoTwFIXjK3hi7N85Ew6W5x7Co8iWiPtOPiHvGQoUNiIsmh9vmGuWbYv98~CwK86ufmg7msRGyPgIbbRVZqYX8Xk~N-FXW8phfcvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Butte-Silver Bow, MT","date","2025-05-13T02:22:36Z","article","John Sullivan, manager for government buildings, told the Butte‑Silver Bow Study Commission on May 12 that the county’s inventory of facilities and deferred maintenance present a major long‑term budget and operational challenge.

Sullivan said the department cares for roughly 59 county‑owned facilities and that the courthouse alone represents a large share of building maintenance costs. The department is organized into three operational areas: government buildings, a central trades/central services crew (painters, electrician, carpenter) and support for parks/other public buildings. He said the department employs roughly 16 workers across several bargaining units and listed typical annual pay ranges discussed in negotiations.

Sullivan described three principal problems: an aging building stock with deferred maintenance and mechanical systems approaching end of life; a lack of a cohesive multi‑year capital maintenance plan historically; and an administrative workload (permits, leases, insurance claims) that consumes staff time.

He told commissioners that a facilities or central capital fund would allow the county to plan replacements more efficiently rather than responding in crisis when major systems fail. “I think it should be facilities and there should be a facilities fund,” Sullivan said during the session.

Sullivan cited specific funding and procurement friction points: many recent repairs were paid with COVID relief or one‑time Hard Rock funds and those sources are time‑limited; insurance claims through MMIA (the Montana Municipal Interlocal Authority) require substantial paperwork and can take many months to resolve; and local procurement thresholds (Butte‑Silver Bow’s $5,000 rule) are lower than the Montana Code Annotated threshold for formal bidding, creating repeated small procurements that cost staff time.

He also described technical needs that commonly require large sums: roof replacements, HVAC and boiler replacements, fire/smoke damper actuators, and security and temperature controls in the detention center. Sullivan said some recent work revealed multiple hidden failures once modern controls were installed — for example, many fire/smoke dampers required actuator replacement after a control upgrade.

Sullivan urged the commission to consider consolidating capital improvement budgeting under a facilities account managed with a multi‑year plan. He said the county already maintains a capital account often referenced as the 40.40 account (used previously for Montana Street work) and recommended clearer, stable funding for building needs going forward.

No formal action was taken on the presentation. Commissioners asked follow‑up questions about surplus properties, outsourcing vs. in‑house work, and whether a facilities manager should have different title/compensation; Sullivan said the county’s mix of in‑house trades and contractors is common and that the trade‑offs depend on project size and funding.

Sources: presentation and Q&A with John Sullivan, Government Buildings Manager, Butte‑Silver Bow Study Commission meeting transcript, May 12.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May12, 2025 Study Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","John Sullivan, government buildings manager, told the Butte‑Silver Bow Study Commission on May 12 that the county is responsible for about 59 facilities, lacks a long‑term maintenance strategy and faces a funding gap when COVID‑era money runs out.","taxTitle","Silver Bow County, Montana","taxId",29956,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6057273,"Study commission debates charter language on departments, public comment and pending fire services bill",6908,3367000,10275000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307382-d47c5eaeae7a850d45eab56ecc4777a4&start=3367&end=10275","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307382-d47c5eaeae7a850d45eab56ecc4777a4/thumbnail_3367000.jpg","/articles/6057273/Silver-Bow-County/Montana/Study-commission-debates-charter-language-on-departments-public-comment-and-pending-fire-services-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6057273-8ee7f8f6cca471e4d0c7db34bb10683d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178104&Signature=ggLnQHk0mDDxLENkGdAAlxD-~CsPZTR-ko~x1V0hOrgvAZ5JStaaej5ZRcRkMEJDmnl3mFRVds7lZKyekybdKxtzbCmuH1uilGlBF9vh0VA11cGHscXgzb75Ao~mgkNg5dFiyQjAnenXgHLg9hMWeNGnyVH0j6r6vWo3pT8ZzwegxUUrLrj8ZYqYiQyip2dprJ835Qdhzyk0RhyFGLHwZxdM2TwHnv72Fu5p-IrEIImlHlgeesU9eFKB-CktzXfyFtXmDCeS-MAA~PdqhV57x-dChhQhe6CZfcEDCLAp27C1n8EYHl~QpRoKDdkfZ9x1XZ0ZlrBgG8wllPkqDe0crg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Butte‑Silver Bow Study Commission spent a substantial portion of its May 12 meeting reviewing proposed changes to the county charter, focusing on how departments are created or listed in the charter, how personnel and finance “systems” are described, and how the charter should address fire services if House Bill 547 becomes law. Commissioners also amended the agenda to place public comment at the start of meetings.

On department language (charter Article VII) commissioners debated whether to keep department names in the charter or rely on broader language that authorizes the council to establish departments by ordinance. Legal staff advised that the current Section 7.01 language already provides the council the authority to establish departments by ordinance and recommended keeping flexible, general language so future needs can be addressed without repeated charter amendments. As staff put it: “I would say the language that is in 7.01 is perfectly fine, as it stands.”

Several commissioners argued some departments deserve explicit charter recognition. Parks and recreation was discussed repeatedly as an example commissioners might want codified as a standalone department rather than left under a broader public works umbrella. Commissioners agreed to seek public input before finalizing any decision to move specific functions from ordinance into the charter.

Commissioners also discussed terminology in the charter distinguishing “systems” and “departments.” Several members noted that a “personnel system” (training, hiring and promotion rules) is different from a standalone human resources department and recommended clearer, consistent terminology so readers and future implementers understand whether the charter requires a department, a system or both.

Public works drew focused discussion about whether the public works director should be a professional engineer or be qualified by training and experience. Commissioners and counsel agreed institutional knowledge and local experience matter; some commissioners said a degree or professional engineering license can be useful for certain projects (for signature of engineering documents), while others said the director role should remain based on “training or experience” and that specialized engineering work can be contracted or provided by an engineering department if needed.

A major item was House Bill 547, a state bill that would change the relationship between career fire services and volunteer fire districts. Counsel said the bill at the time of the meeting was on the governor’s desk and that, if enacted, the county would need to clarify charter language to align local practice and the new state law. Commissioners asked for a dedicated meeting to focus on fire services governance and for presentations from both career and volunteer fire leaders; legal staff cautioned the commission that changing charter language that affects elected volunteer trustees or budgets may have knock‑on consequences and should be carefully scoped.

On meeting procedure the commission amended its agenda to split public comment into two items: public comment on any item on the agenda and public comment on anything not on the agenda but within the study commission’s jurisdiction. Commissioner McCormick moved the amendment; after a second the commission voted unanimously to adopt the change. The motion was recorded as approved without opposition.

Public comment during the meeting included a resident who urged the commission to consider switching to a smaller, full‑time commission and to organize neighborhood‑level community councils to improve responsiveness. The commenter said, in part, “Part‑time commissioners just does not work,” and proposed consolidating current districts into six larger districts with a standing role for district commissioners in neighborhood coordination.

Next steps the commission identified: additional public listening sessions, dedicated meetings on fire services if HB547 is enacted, and further legal cleanup (consistent terminology for “department” vs “system,” explicit language on whether and how the council may rescind departments by ordinance or whether that requires charter language).

Sources: Study Commission meeting, May 12; legal staff remarks; commissioner questions and public comments recorded in the meeting transcript.","The Butte‑Silver Bow Study Commission reviewed charter Article VII language on May 12, debating whether departmental names should be codified in the charter or left to ordinance, and discussed a pending state bill that would alter local fire services governance; the commission also voted to move public comment to the start of meetings.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6057284,"Butte‑Silver Bow animal services manager says staffing shortage is top constraint as shelter is renovated",2579,320000,2899000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307382-d47c5eaeae7a850d45eab56ecc4777a4&start=320&end=2899","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307382-d47c5eaeae7a850d45eab56ecc4777a4/thumbnail_320000.jpg","/articles/6057284/Silver-Bow-County/Montana/ButteSilver-Bow-animal-services-manager-says-staffing-shortage-is-top-constraint-as-shelter-is-renovated","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6057284-eb4b654f970f2fb2d2cb78c0e40edd64/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178104&Signature=eZINHgwlGsISODLbV8HPCjmnJiKd5WaYmfZPj~1gMO8F21gR4t3O6olpdx4NhdW7wmi4YZLhvNtsHSH0zY-1~qtE4UzTZirKBd3Rp2VguPCHaiMBh9UlE1Hq-N8pUnotkrGdUoaOfO01eLFHCSgBi8pzOsdlqX9Gg1ziME56iUfPVIR~M88YhmeFh5sGAgeidqN59U-tjo0zI1MbebnFB1nTTRQRc8rx2dYXnMUvYK3XtasPFYG2KpDR7gotcVNiaFBxj1LBXz4NBpCNW55FnRhDzCEPZZE2G7OUyL7Of3-EM9FiMgTwtouYtNc-3KULSD8q-~pKY17NXms6FOqC9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a May 12 meeting of the Butte‑Silver Bow Study Commission, Animal Services Manager Lynette Hogart told commissioners her department’s biggest operational problem is staffing, and she outlined recent shelter renovations and a countywide ordinance review aimed at strengthening enforcement.

Hogart said staffing shortages leave the shelter short-handed for routine duties — cleaning, feeding, intake, phone handling and processing adoption and reclaiming paperwork — and that those limits affect the department’s ability to answer phones and meet the public. “I believe that our biggest, and most critical problem facing the animal shelter or animal services is staffing,” she said.

The shelter operates year‑round and currently schedules two full‑time staff on many weekdays and three on Saturdays, plus one part‑time employee Hogart said works about 20 hours per week. Hogart outlined the department’s labor structure: animal control officers are in the Teamsters; shelter attendants are in the Laborers union; and the shelter’s administrative professional is in the clerks’ union. She gave hourly rates for staff, saying one animal control officer makes $28.11 per hour, two officers make $24.62 per hour, shelter attendants and part‑time staff are paid $17.98 per hour, and the administrative clerk is paid $26.92 per hour.

Commissioners pressed Hogart on options for relief. She said adding one full‑time, front‑office position would free kennel staff to work with animals and better serve the public in person and by phone. “When phase 2 of our remodel is done, I want it to be a much more welcoming place. I want people to be able to come in, ask questions,” she said.

Hogart described recent capital work and funding: phase 1 of the kennel remodel is complete, funded largely by donations (she cited roughly $180,000 in donated funds used to complete the kennel area); phase 2 was scheduled to start imminently to renovate the public/front portion of the shelter; and a phase 3 package planned for late summer or early fall would add sod, sprinklers and fencing for seven new play yards. She said the department also has an ARPA grant and additional donations supporting renovations.

Hogart said Butte‑Silver Bow relies on an informal network of shelters across Montana and neighboring states for transfers when the shelter is full. She described one recent transfer of 28 dogs to partner shelters and praised the regional cooperation. The department, she said, cannot take in animals from other counties as a county‑run animal control agency but can arrange transfers and adoptions when space allows.

Hogart warned that changes in housing and veterinary costs are increasing shelter intakes. She said vet care is increasingly expensive and that Butte lacks after‑hours emergency veterinary services; in emergencies the shelter sometimes must hold animals until they can be seen the next business day.

On enforcement, Hogart said the shelter and the animal services board are conducting a comprehensive review of the county’s animal ordinances, many of which she described as outdated (the last comprehensive updates, she said, date to the early 1980s). She told commissioners the review will target provisions that do not reflect current practice or community needs — for example, provisions that require many neighbor signatures to address barking dogs — and the board intends to propose clearer, more workable language by the end of the year with a goal of ordinances taking effect in 2026.

Commissioners did not take formal action on the department presentation. Hogart invited the public to visit the shelter for information on adoptions and programs.

Sources: presentation and Q&A with Lynette Hogart at the May 12 Study Commission meeting; commissioners’ questions and department comments recorded in the meeting transcript.","At the May 12 Butte‑Silver Bow Study Commission meeting, Animal Services Manager Lynette Hogart told commissioners staffing limits are the department’s largest operational constraint and described ongoing shelter renovations, inter‑shelter transfers and an ordinance review intended to give animal control more enforcement tools.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Government buildings manager warns aging portfolio and funding cliff will strain Butte‑Silver Bow maintenance

Study commission debates charter language on departments, public comment and pending fire services bill

Butte‑Silver Bow animal services manager says staffing shortage is top constraint as shelter is renovated