Finance and Budget Committee approves $3,000 emergency filing fee, clears $983,306.98 in expenditures and refers grant to full council

The Silver Bow County Finance and Budget Committee on Wednesday approved a $3,000 emergency payment to the Montana Department of Administration to cover filing fees for the county’s fiscal year 2025 financial report, approved the expenditure list totaling $983,306.98 and authorized a series of budget transfers covering equipment, payroll, grants and insurance deductibles. The committee also referred a grant application from Environmental Health to the full council for approval.

Director Hasler explained the emergency payment: “There’s an additional claim for $3,000 to the Montana Department of Administration and it’s for our filing fees for our fiscal year 20 25 financial report,” and said the check must be delivered in advance of the report to avoid a potential rejection or fine. After that explanation, an unidentified committee member moved to approve the emergency expenditure; the motion was seconded and the chair announced the motion passed.

The committee then voted to approve the expenditure list for Jan. 28, 2026, in the amount of $983,306.98. The chair noted the list and a separate set of budget transfers occurring at mid-year as departments reconcile overspent line items before the new fiscal year.

Committee members and staff reviewed multiple transfers. The chair summarized transfers that included $5,000 for installation of security door readers; a $16,569 transfer from Public Works for overtime to cover staff absences; purchases recorded as non-capital fixed assets (including a Starlink Internet system and a snowplow); replacement of a county pressure washer; a $4,300 subscription for CivicRec and Unicode codification support for the Council of Commissioners; $2,000 for HAZWOPER training for the water maintenance division; and smaller transfers to cover hazard pay and water emergency repairs. The chair also listed $10,600 tied to a veteran’s treatment court grant; a $4,868 Department of Justice assistance transfer for DUI and veterans treatment court needs; a $7,315.80 reallocation to cover a copier shortfall; $3,797 for desks and a four-drawer filing cabinet for clerk and district court workspace; $102 for translator charges for a district court hearing; and two separate $25,000 transfers for sheriff’s-office deductible insurance expenses (one specified as for the detention center).

Director Hasler said the recent flurry of transfers reflected routine year-end and mid-year budget adjustments: departments are notified when a line item is overspent and asked to submit transfers to cover the shortfalls before the fiscal year closes.

On communication number 2026-20, Jackie Thompson, Environmental Health Manager, requested permission to apply for a NEHA/FDA retail flexible funding-model grant of $5,000 with an optional add-on training grant up to $7,500 to improve the county’s retail food regulatory program. The chair said staff would confirm whether a local match was required and would report to Chairman Morgan. An unidentified committee member moved to refer the communication to the full council for approval; the motion was seconded and passed on voice vote.

With no further business the committee adjourned.

What happens next: the $3,000 emergency payment and the approved expenditures will be processed per county procedure; the referred NEHA/FDA grant application will be considered by the full council.