Officials in Browning announced last week that the town’s financial condition is so dire that it may have to declare bankruptcy or disincorporate.
In a press release posted online, town officials blamed the financial crisis on an ongoing legal battle with the Blackfeet Tribe over water and utility services in Browning.
“The lawsuits filed by the Blackfeet Tribe, Two Medicine Water Company and certain tribal members have had the same goal: to eliminate the Town of Browning by bleeding it financially dry,” officials wrote.
For the last few years, questions have arisen about who owns the water system in Browning following a multi-million dollar expansion that was spearheaded by the town and the tribe. Unresolved lawsuits have been lodged from both sides in tribal and federal courts.
Blackfeet Tribal Business Council Chairman Harry Barnes said the tribe does not want the town to go away “but obviously there are some jurisdictional questions between the town and the tribe.”
Regardless of jurisdictional questions over the water system, town officials now say they do not have the resources to keep going. In the press release, officials said the town and the tribe needed to come to find a compromise immediately or “the Town of Browning will cease to exist.”
“The town’s assets will be sold to pay its debts, and the town will no longer provide municipal services to the people of this community, including fire protection services, water, sewer, garbage, street maintenance, street lights, radio programming and many other municipal services,” the press release read. “Simply put, without an agreement from the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council, the Town of Browning is going out of business.”
If Browning were to discorporate, it is likely that Glacier County would have to provide services like plowing and street repair.
Barnes said he hopes the town does not go under, but criticized it blaming all of its problems on the water system lawsuits.
“They’re facing tough financial issues and they’re blaming it on the tribe. Does the town need more revenue? Probably,” he said. “Every government I’ve ever seen needs more revenue.”
The Beacon tried multiple times to reach Browning Mayor Willie Morris but those calls were never returned.