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Solid‑waste board presents proposed business‑assessment schedule; commissioners plan further review
Summary
Public works director and solid‑waste board members presented an eight‑month review and a proposed schedule of business assessments and unit charges for Broadwater County; commissioners and staff plan to read the full resolution and solicit public feedback at the next meeting.
TJ Gravely, Broadwater County public works director, presented a lengthy, multi‑month review of the county's proposed business assessment fee schedule for solid‑waste services and said the goal is to clarify assessments and make charges fair and defensible.
Gravely and the solid‑waste board described a classification schedule that assigns a minimum number of assessment units to businesses and institutions (examples: one assessment per single dwelling unit; a minimum of two assessments per business; one assessment per five motel rooms; sliding scales for mini‑storage; three assessments for event centers in addition to other assessments). He said the process involved eight months of research and comparisons with other counties and that the intent was to capture currently unassessed units such as apartments above businesses.
On enforcement and appeals, Gravely said there is a statutory protest window for written protests; he referenced Montana code (MCA) provisions governing protests and noted the solid‑waste board has worked on exemptions (rural volunteer fire departments are not charged). He emphasized the schedule is primarily clarification and that the board does not currently anticipate raising assessment amounts.
"Right now, we don't anticipate raising the assessment," Gravely said. Commissioners asked detailed questions about how new construction, contractor registration, VRBO/short‑term rentals, and home‑based businesses would be classified. Staff said new construction would be prorated or charged a full fee depending on timing and that classification of some short‑term rentals currently depends on Department of Revenue guidance.
Next steps: Commissioners requested the full resolution be read at the next meeting for public review; staff will publish materials and invite public comment before any final adoption. No final resolution was adopted on May 14.
Why it matters: The proposed schedule will change how many businesses and residential units are charged for solid‑waste services and could affect bills for businesses, landlords, campgrounds and institutional properties countywide. Commissioners signaled interest in public outreach and careful classification before any adoption.
