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State Fire Marshal limits Daly Gym events to small pickup games; structural report not produced
Summary
The State Fire Marshal authorized only limited pickup games (10–20 people) at Daly Gym; Anaconda Fire Chief Cody Tocher and county staff say they have not received a more recent structural engineer report from the building owner and warned larger events could be shut down.
Anaconda-Deer Lodge County officials told commissioners on Aug. 4 that the State Fire Marshal has approved only small pickup games at Daly Gym, and that there is not yet a received structural engineer report contradicting an earlier school-district-sponsored assessment that found structural issues.
"He did approve pickup games there, between ten to twenty people in there and that's it," Chief Cody Tocher said, summarizing his conversation with the State Fire Marshal about allowed activities. Tocher and the marshal told commissioners that events such as dances or conventions that would pack the facility above that threshold could prompt immediate enforcement action; "if he hears of anything that is exceeding that ten to twenty people ... he will come to town and shut it down immediately," Tocher said.
CEO Bill Everett and commissioners raised questions about structural documentation. Everett said a prior engineering report paid for by the school district found the building "not structurally strong and it needed repairs," while Tocher said the owner had told staff she had a newer engineer's report but had not provided it to the county or the State Fire Marshal. County staff and the marshal said they would require visible compliance or direct evidence of a new engineering assessment before permitting larger events.
The commission did not take formal action but asked staff to pursue any new structural reporting and to coordinate with the State Fire Marshal about ongoing enforcement and public-notice measures.
