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County staff say consultant found to help update fire, lighting and voting district boundaries
Summary
County staff told the commission they have identified Baker Tilly as a consultant to assist with the legal and planning work needed to update messy fire, lighting and voting district boundaries and will bring a scope and budget proposal to the commission in January.
County staff told the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Commission on Jan. 6 that they have identified an outside consultant to help clean up long-standing problems with district boundaries that affect fire protection, lighting assessments and voting eligibility.
Planning-related staff member Mr. Hambley said the county had struggled to find a firm with both legal and planning expertise but that Baker Tilly submitted a scope of services and proposed budget. "Wefound the firm, and they just sent a scope of services, proposed budget," he said. Staff plans to meet after the holidays with County Attorney Smith and CEO Everett to confirm fit and then present the engagement to the commission for approval in January.
The discussion followed a planning-board report from Planning Board Chairman Art Valasor, who flagged a set of related issues including a pending redo of the Warm Springs Creek flood-plain map. Commissioners and residents described situations in which property owners appear on tax rolls for a city fire district yet are ineligible to vote in that district's elections; one resident said he was paying city fire taxes but could not vote for the fire department hall.
CEO Everett described the problem as "one of the most pertinent things...we're gonna have to deal with in 2026," emphasizing the mix of legal and planning work required. Commissioners asked staff and the county attorney to confirm legal requirements and to prepare a timeline and cost estimate before the commission considers formal authorization.
The commission took no final action beyond directing staff to return with a proposal; no vote was recorded at the Jan. 6 meeting.
The next step is a staff meeting with County Attorney Smith and CEO Everett to review the consultant scope, after which the county expects to place a formal contract authorization on a future agenda.
