Missoula County reviews roughly $600,000 in one-time budget requests; several priority projects highlighted

Missoula County commissioners met in an administrative session to review one-time budget requests and prioritize projects before final budget adoption. Staff said approximately $600,000 in one-time general-fund funding is available and outlined several items the county has previously committed to, along with new proposals for capital and noncapital needs.

Among the items staff highlighted as near-term priorities were moving two donated Johnson Street shelter bathrooms to the temporary safe outdoor space, installing a security wall and controlled single public entry at the courthouse’s north entrance, and a county match for a grant to replace the library roof. The library match is a $100,000 commitment split over two years ($50,000 this year and $50,000 in FY27) to leverage a $1,000,000 grant, staff said.

Amy McGee, speaking about a district-court item the commission had discussed previously, described a proposed remodel of a second-floor jury room to relocate the Self Help Law Center closer to clerk-of-court exhibits and sealed-case storage. "We are seeking funding to remodel a jury room and relocate the Self Help Law Center," McGee said, and asked the commission to include roughly $60,000 from available one-time funds to complete the move and relieve cramped exhibits storage.

Elections staff described equipment needs for the upcoming cycles. "The printers that we currently use are no longer supported by the company, which means supplies are harder to come by and we have problems getting them to print sometimes," Nathan from the elections office said, noting the ballot-on-demand printers are used at remote satellite events and have been in service about 10 years.

Facilities staff flagged security-related capital possibilities, including a Department of Homeland Security–recommended glass-film retrofit for courthouse windows. The county secured a $25,000 grant toward that work but faces an estimated remaining gap of about $15,000 on a roughly $40,000 bill, staff said. Facilities also detailed a request to budget travel and peer-facility visits (estimated at about $25,000) to scope replacement options for the detention facility’s door-control system, which is at end of life and whose replacement could cost "hundreds of thousands".

Several training, travel and membership requests were discussed and some flagged for withdrawal or deferral (for example, certain out-of-state conferences and a $1,000 membership in the International Association of County and City Managers). Staff recommended grouping certain courthouse projects into a capital bucket and exploring limited debt as one option; commissioners asked staff to prepare capitalization and debt-service scenarios before formal adoption.

The commission paused the review with plans to continue remaining items at a Thursday administrative meeting after staff provides additional numbers on capitalizing projects and quarter-fund trade-offs. The consent agenda (three employment agreements) was approved earlier in the session.