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Council approves fitness grant commitment, pool fee increases and new liquor-license fee
Summary
Columbia Falls adopted three resolutions: a nonbinding commitment to pursue an $80,000 National Fitness Campaign grant for Pinewood Park (with roughly $95,000 city match and ~$60–65k in installation costs), a binding 2026 pool-fee schedule raising daily passes and swim-lesson fees, and a liquor-license fee increase tied to population-based state formulas; council approved all by roll call.
The Columbia Falls City Council on May 4 approved three resolutions that set local fee policy and pledge support for a park fitness grant.
Staff asked the council to adopt Resolution 19-60, a nonbinding commitment to pursue an $80,000 National Fitness Campaign grant to install a free-to-use fitness area at Pinewood Park. "The $80,000 grant — I believe $60,000 comes from the National Fitness Campaign and $20,000 comes from Montana Blue Cross Blue Shield — is the maximum any city can get," the city manager said. He described a proposed city match of about $95,000 for equipment plus roughly $60,000–$65,000 for concrete and installation, putting the total project cost in the $160,000–$170,000 range. Council moved, seconded and approved Resolution 19-60 by roll call.
Council then adopted Resolution 19-61, the binding 2026 pool-fee schedule. Staff said the city’s pool fees are low compared with peer Montana cities and the modest increases will not cover all costs. The approved changes include a daily pass increase from $2 to $3, a family pass from $60 to $75, an individual pass from $32 to $45, and swim lessons from $40 to $55. Staff also told the council that future fee adjustments will be consolidated into a single annual fee schedule.
Finally, the council approved Resolution 19-62 updating beer, wine and liquor license fees. Staff said the prior fee structure (set in 2020) assumed a population under 5,000; now that the city exceeds 5,000 the liquor-license fee can rise to 5/8 of the state fee. Using the state fee of $650 yields a city liquor-license fee of $406.25; other beverage license fees remain unchanged. The resolution passed by roll call.
Councilors asked clarifying questions on in-city vs. out-of-city passes and the timing of a consolidated fee schedule; staff said daily passes will be the same for everyone this year and that a single updated fee schedule will be proposed next budget cycle.
