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Lincoln County commissioners place Libby Park District mill-levy question on May 5 mail ballot
Summary
At a Feb. 9 special meeting, the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners approved Resolution 20267 to put a proposed Libby Park District mill levy—estimated to raise about $74,000 annually—on the May 5, 2026 all-mail ballot to fund parks, trails and an aquatic facility; no public comment was received.
The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners voted to place a proposed Libby Park District mill levy on the May 5, 2026 all-mail ballot, the board said at a special meeting on Feb. 9.
Commissioner Hammonds read Resolution 20267 aloud, saying the Lincoln County Election Department had received adequate filing and that the proposed levy would raise an estimated $74,000 per year to “manage[] and maintain outdoor recreation facilities and trails assigned to the district and the aquatic facility” near Libby’s fish pond. The resolution text provided tax-impact examples, stating the levy would add “approximately $5.39 in annual property tax to a home in the district valued at $100,000,” “approximately $16.18 … for $300,000,” and “approximately $32.36 … for $600,000.”
The measure will be conducted as an all-mail election held the same day as the local school election under MCA 13-1-504(4)(a), the board said. The resolution specifies that the proposed mill levy would not be an addition to the district’s existing levy and that the mill levy, if approved by voters, would be imposed immediately.
Why it matters: County officials said the Libby Park District currently lacks sufficient funding to operate the aquatic facility in compliance with Montana public-health and safety requirements. The revenue from the proposed levy would fund lifeguards, maintenance and projects across parks and trails the district manages, including the swim pond on port property and existing arrangements for Pioneer Park.
Board discussion and clarification: After the reading, a commissioner questioned the resolution’s statement that the district’s existing levy generates only about $11,500 annually, saying they believed it to be higher. A staff member responded that the district’s levy has fluctuated (recently about $9,000 in a prior year) and that changes in how mill value must be reported to taxpayers led the district to seek a defined dollar-amount levy of roughly $74,000 instead of reporting the previous mill-value amount.
Public comment: The board opened the floor for public comment; no one in the room or online registered a comment.
Vote and next steps: The board called for a motion; a motion and second were recorded and the board voted in favor by voice, recorded as three “I” responses. The resolution directs the Lincoln County Election Department to run the May 5, 2026 all-mail election and places the Libby Park District mill-levy question on that ballot. The meeting then adjourned.
Details: The resolution text cited that the proposed levy is estimated at $74,000 per year, gave the per-household tax examples above, noted the district follows the Libby School District boundary per Resolution 20201, and warned that an increase in property taxes “may lead to an increase in rental costs.” The resolution also noted that the value of the mills may change year to year with taxable values in the district.
The board did not identify additional implementation dates beyond the May 5 election; if approved by voters, the resolution states the levy would be imposed immediately.
