Countywide funding for 911 dispatch proposed

The Flathead County 911 Administrative Board discussed at their Oct. 9 meeting the idea of creating a countywide special district to pay for the new 911 dispatch center and emergency communications equipment around the valley.

The board, composed of representatives from the county and the cities of Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls, agreed to send the idea to its future funding committee, which will explore it and report back.

The idea is similar to how the county landfill, delivery trucks and greenbox sites are funded through the Flathead County Solid Waste District — each property owner in the county pays a fee on their annual taxes toward the operation.

A countywide special district would need to be created by the county commissioners, not by public vote as is done with mill levies. Additionally, the amount levied on a property varies with the value of the property, whereas a special district could assess a straight fee.

Currently, Flathead County and the cities of Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls provide funds for the 911 center’s operation through their general funds, but there has been sharp disagreement at times about how much each entity should pay. Additionally, city property owners pay twice — once to the county and once to the city.

A countywide special district could be the fairest and most transparent way to pay for the 911 center, Kalispell mayor Tammi Fisher told the 911 administrative board. She is the city’s representative on the board

“We’re all county residents anyway,” she said. “It would give clarity to every taxpayer about the exact amount each taxpayer is contributing.”

While the special district might address day-to-day operations, determining how to fund capital-improvement needs in the future could be difficult, she noted. The future funding committee will also need to determine how fees are assessed — whether per lot or per residence or by some other calculation permitted by state law.

“I don’t anticipate this issue being in the future funding committee for long,” Fisher said, adding that she believed the county commissioners support creating a special district to fund the 911 center.