The Flathead County Commission will consider the preliminary expenditure budget for the 2022 fiscal year (FY) at their June 29 meeting.
The proposed appropriation for all funds for the fiscal year beginning July 1, is $115,840,817, which represents a 2.1% decrease over the FY 2021 final budget. Last year’s budget was increased by roughly $13 million between the preliminary and final approval hearings.
The main cause for the decrease in the budget was the separation of the Greater Valley Health Clinic from the county. The clinic’s budget was $5.9 million, and was the largest decrease in the county’s overall budget.
Some major line items in the new budget include the merging of the Flathead Emergency Communication Center budget with the county’s budget, which amounts for a $3.4 million increase, but also decreased the sheriff’s budget by nearly $2 million.
The bridge, animal shelter and election budgets all saw substantial increases, while the road department saw a $1.3 million decrease due to fewer capital projects in the works.
Three major capital projects are included in the proposed budget: a remodel of Courthouse West ($750,000), a remodel of the North Campus Building ($5.2 million), which is the future home of the treasurer, superintendent of schools, election office and family court, and the fifth phase of the landfill expansion ($2 million.)
The budget also includes a 2% cost of living adjustment for the county’s 539 employees, which amounts to a payroll increase of $1.4 million, and adds in 5.73 full-time equivalents.
The budget will be formally adopted in August, after the Montana Department of Revenue provides property valuation numbers, which will be used for final revenue and mill levy calculations.