In June of 20l4 the Ravalli County Commissioners, following due consideration, decided to pass a levy to pay for the settlement of a lawsuit with Big Sky Development, LLC for $675,000. Quoting Commissioner Chilcott, “We are paying the piper now for things not done according to the law.” Chilcott also said there was an incredible amount of damages being sought over 16 counts in the lawsuit. The lawsuit was settled by the 9th Federal Appeals Court.
What has not been given adequate ‘hype’ is that the lawsuit was caused by decisions made by the three-member Ravalli County Commission before the current County Commission was elected in November of 2010. The five-member Ravalli Commission now has to deal with this issue and necessarily has to pass an increase in taxes to pay for “things not done according to law.”
In other actions the current Ravalli County Commission has reduced County operating costs resulting in considerable savings for the tax payers. For fiscal years 2012, 2013, and 2014 (estimated), a total of about $1,498,000 in reduced operating expenses has been achieved for these three years. Source: Ravalli County budget data.
While savings in operating expenses have generally enabled the County to hold the line on property taxes, these savings are not great enough to absorb the $675,000 settlement with Big Sky Development, LLC.
I suggest that these factors be kept in mind as you go to the polls in November – regarding the make-up of the Commission and the feasibility of altering the form of County government.
V.A. Ciliberti
Hamilton