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Flathead County commissioners approve bids, CIP amendment, contract, polling‑place changes and plats
Summary
Commissioners opened multiple construction and gravel bids, approved taking bids under consideration, approved a CIP amendment for IT remodeling, signed a public‑safety facility owner's‑rep contract (not to exceed $939,500), approved polling‑place changes affecting 2,152 voters, accepted a final plat with a $53,475 SIA, granted a Chester Estates extension, and authorized a public‑hearing notice for an Olney fire‑district annexation.
At their March meeting, the Flathead County Board of Commissioners handled a series of procurement, capital, planning and election items, approving motions on each without extended debate.
Bids and procurement: County Administrator Pete Melnick opened competitive bids for the Adams Building parking‑lot repaving. Submitted bids included LHC Incorporated (base $52,791; alternate $78,364), Knife River (base $80,000; alternate $133,200) and Pinnacle Paving (alternates and numerical entries acknowledged by the project architect). A commissioner moved to take the bids under consideration; the motion carried on voice vote.
The commission also opened a multi‑line bid for crushing and stockpiling gravel at the Old Steel Bridge Pit that included unit pricing and a total bid example of $572,798; the commission took that bid under consideration and approved the motion.
Capital projects and contracts: Justin Miller, IT director, asked the commission to amend the CIP to repurpose previously saved FY28 data‑center funds to create office and meeting space in an existing area and accelerate Halon system work. The commission approved the CIP amendment by motion.
County Administrator Pete Melnick presented an owner's‑representative agreement for the public safety facility with Intuitive Architecture. "Contract is set up to pay for services on an hourly basis with a do not exceed price of $939,500," he said; the commission moved to sign the document and the motion carried.
Human resources and staffing: Sheena Sterling, clerk and recorder manager, presented a reclassification request to convert a land specialist position to a cadastral land specialist at a one‑time cost of $2,117.84, which she said can be absorbed within current budgets. Commissioners approved the reclassification.
Elections: Paula Buff, election administrator, presented polling‑place designations that must be set at least 30 days before the primary. She said two changes were necessary: the Columbia Falls Kids Foundation (formerly the Columbia Falls Senior Center) will house affected precincts because it offers more space and parking, and the Whitefish Moose Lodge will replace First Baptist Church after the congregation limited outside use. Buff said 2,152 active voters will receive notice of affected polling places. The commission voted to approve the designations.
Planning and plats: Aaron Appert, planning and zoning, presented the final plat application for the Farm Industrial Subdivision (four industrial lots and one residential lot along Highway 93 south of Kalispell). He said conditions were met and the developer provided a subdivision improvement agreement (SIA) of $53,475 to bring part of the internal road to minimum design standards; the commission approved the SIA and final plat. Appert also described a requested six‑month extension for amended plat lot 4 of Chester Estates because the final plat application is incomplete; commissioners granted the extension to 10/18/2026.
Fire service annexation: Lincoln Jude, Flathead County fire service area manager, presented a request to annex private properties near Good Creek into the Olney Fire District to align with adjacent parcels already in the district. Jude said the district has been short on volunteers but has a new chief and is engaged in cross‑training with nearby districts; commissioners authorized publication of a notice of public hearing and asked for a staffing update in about six months.
Votes and motions were carried by voice vote on each item; the meeting proceeded without contested roll‑call tallies recorded in the transcript.
