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Columbia Falls council adopts FY26 budget, sets mill levies and approves special assessments
Summary
The Columbia Falls City Council approved three resolutions Thursday evening adopting the fiscal year 2026 budget, setting mill levies and levying special assessments for SID 26 after a manager presentation that highlighted a $435,428 increase in appropriations and funding pressures in water and street funds.
The Columbia Falls City Council on Thursday adopted its fiscal year 2026 budget, approved the city’s mill levy schedule and levied special assessments for a local special improvement district.
City Manager Eric Hanks presented the final FY26 budget and the public hearing in which the council considered three resolutions: Resolution 19 50 to levy special assessments for street and lighting in SID 26; Resolution 19 51 to set and adopt mill levies; and Resolution 19 52 to adopt the FY26 budget and appropriations. Hanks told the council the mill levy schedule totals 148.44 mills and highlighted a $435,428 increase in general fund appropriations versus the prior year.
Why it matters: The votes set taxes and the spending plan for the coming year and include a formal correction to non-levy fund accounting that the manager said will be fixed in the final signed resolution.
Hanks said the general fund is budgeted at $5,483,440 and that the city maintains a 20% reserve target for certain funds. He also described the use of a resort tax offset ($441,480) that reduces the mill burden on residential taxpayers. "This year's tax levy schedule is presented," Hanks said during his overview.
Councilors moved and seconded the measures during the public hearing and each resolution passed on roll call with all participating members recorded as "Aye." The record shows the council approved Resolution 19 50 (levy special assessments within SID 26), Resolution 19 51 (adopt mill levies) and Resolution 19 52 (adopt FY26 budget and appropriations).
Hanks noted a late calculation error in the water operating fund and requested the council allow staff to correct the final resolution language and summary tables before signing to reflect a negative adjustment the manager described in the hearing. "We did find an error late today that we're gonna be making a correction to," Hanks said, specifying an audit reallocation of $9,387 from water and sewer to the general fund and a subsequent correction to the water operating fund summary.
The manager also emphasized the role of federal and grant revenue in the city’s finances, including an award of more than $5 million from a RAISE grant for the Glacier to Gateway project that represents a major portion of the city’s special revenue funds.
The council concluded the hearing after the unanimous votes and moved on to reports and other business.
What’s next: Hanks said staff will incorporate the corrections into the final signed resolutions and return to the council at the next meeting if additional adjustments are required.
