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Council opens public hearing on fiscal 2025 budget, notes drop in assessed value and small revenue gain
Summary
At an Aug. 20 meeting the Choteau City Council opened a public hearing on the fiscal 2025 budget and assessments, discussed a decline in assessed values, one‑time gas tax and grant effects on revenue, and left the hearing open to the Sept. 3 meeting.
The Choteau City Council on Aug. 20 opened a public hearing on the city’s fiscal 2025 budget and special assessments, reviewing line items and revenue assumptions while leaving the hearing open for the council’s September meeting.
Chair said the city’s assessed valuation fell substantially this year, describing figures in the meeting as a drop from about $2,949,130 to about $2,000,009. The chair said the council is looking at a maximum levy of 83.34 mills that “would generate $2,241,444,” an increase the chair described as roughly $8,109 over last year.
Staff told council members the packet contains a one‑page assessment chart that compares this year’s assessments with last year’s and shows tax impact on a sample home; staff offered to supply printed copies for council members who could not locate the chart. Council members asked for clearer presentation of special assessments such as street, lighting, tree and sidewalk, sewer and solid waste rates.
On revenue, staff explained a distribution change in the state gas tax resulted in a one‑time larger payout to the city last year described in the meeting as “about $300,000.” Staff said regular monthly gas‑tax receipts are closer to $8,000–$10,000. Council members also noted that a prior pass‑through grant for pool and tennis‑court work inflated last year’s revenues and that the absence of that grant this year reduces the related line item.
Council discussed capital reserves for the library and the library’s capital improvements fund as a possible source for an ADA door replacement if costs exceed routine budget levels. Staff also reported elevated iron and magnesium readings in recent well samples and said additional testing is underway; staff expected an update by the end of the week.
The chair said copies of the budget and assessments are available at City Hall and that the public hearing will remain open until the council meets in September, when the council expects to close the hearing and consider formal adoption.
