Flathead County voters on Nov. 4 passed a $105 million public safety levy that will double the current jail’s inmate capacity and relocate the facility to south Kalispell.
The bond passed by 4,772 votes, with 18,340 in favor and 13,568 against, totaling a voter turnout of 32,124 ballots cast in the all mail-in election.
Located on 115 acres at 225 Snowline Lane, the new public safety facility will house the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office while the new jail will improve safety and efficiency with a central hub on a single floor. While the jail capacity will double, only 14 employees will be added to the current staff of 38 because of the efficient design, which will include a control tower that allows indirect supervision. Upgraded technology like automatic cell locks will also be added.
“This will provide a better environment for our staff, but it will also provide better services,” Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino said. “We’ll have more programs, and we’ve talked about getting GED programs and narcotics and drug addiction services.”
Starting this fiscal year, taxpayers who own a home with a taxable value of $100,000 will pay an additional $11.70 per year; a $300,000 home will cost a taxpayer $35.10; and a $600,000 home will cost $80.66. Taxes will decrease in fiscal year 2026/2027 due to a recent property tax law enacted by the 2025 Legislature.
Flathead County officials have long advocated for a new public safety facility to upgrade the current jail on Main Street, which was built in 1987 and originally housed 63 inmates. Renovations in 2018 increased the capacity to 154 beds, but the facility can only operate at roughly 75% due to the high volume of mentally ill or violent inmates who require additional space.
The new facility is expected to address overcrowding while creating a safer environment for inmates and staff while a new medical wing will upgrade from four beds to 30 to house mentally ill inmates, who make up 10% of the jail’s population.
Jail Commander Jenny Root plans to bring more programming to the jail to help reduce recidivism by offering life skills like resume building and mental health programming.
Last year, Flathead County commissioners Pam Holmquist, Randy Brodehl and Brad Abell unanimously approved the purchase agreement for a 115-acre property at 225 Snowline Lane for $3.9 million as the location for the new jail. Elevatus Architecture was selected to design the facility, and a pre-construction service contract was signed with Martel Construction earlier this year.
“This bond approval reflects the community’s commitment to safety, accountability, and responsible growth,” Holmquist said in a statement. “We are grateful to the voters of Flathead County for investing in the infrastructure that supports our justice system and community safety. It’s taken a lot of hard work to get to this point. We’re thankful to everyone who took the time to learn about this project, see the need, and finally make it a reality for our community.”
County officials will immediately begin the next step towards design, finalization and bidding with construction planned to break ground in spring 2026.