Cascade County approves contractor to abate long-running community-decay case at Great Falls property

The Cascade County Commission approved a contract to abate community-decay conditions at 1500 Adams Boulevard in Great Falls, ordering the county to engage Western Sky Enterprises to perform the work for $27,150 and assess any additional administrative or sheriff costs against the property owner.

The action follows repeated citizen complaints beginning in March 2023, a prosecution in Cascade County Justice Court (case CR-265-2023-0000849) and a plea agreement that required the property owner to abate violations within 90 days; county staff reported the owner did not complete the work and the court authorized the planning department to abate the nuisance and place a lien on the property for costs. Planning and GIS staff presented three bids: Olson Construction ($23,519), Western Sky Enterprises ($27,150) and Steel Etcetera ($40,000). Staff said the county initially awarded the Olson bid but later determined that contractor could not proceed and recommended awarding the work to Western Sky.

Planning staff told commissioners that the county requested sheriff's office standby during the abatement; staff estimated about 40 hours at an overtime rate of $85 per hour, or roughly $3,400, which will be billed to the property owner as an administrative fee. The planning presentation referenced multiple citizen complaints (29 additional complaints after the initial case) and the county attorney's referral that led to the justice-court action.

Commissioners voted by voice to approve Contract 25-43 for Western Sky Enterprises and directed staff to finalize the contracting process. The motion carried on a voice vote with all commissioners present signaling aye.

The contract documents and any sheriff or administrative fees will be applied to the property as allowed under the court order and county procedures; staff did not present a timetable for starting the abatement during the meeting.