Gallatin Media Center

Highline Canal Failure

The Highline Canal above Axtell Anceny Road near Gallatin Gateway has failed is several locations causing water to flow onto the roadway.  People are asked to stay clear of the area.

For immediate release: April 5, 2023

Media contact:
Patrick Lonergan, Gallatin County Chief of Emergency Management
406-548-0111
patrick@readygallatin.com

Gallatin County Residents Encouraged to Prepare for Spring Flood Season

As temperatures begin to rise and we move into spring, Gallatin County residents are encouraged to prepare for flooding season. 

According to the National Weather Service, Gallatin County will see temperatures increasing into the weekend and early into the week of April 10, both during the day and overnight. That could mean some minor flooding impacts around the county during that time. 

“We know we will see the valley snowpack melt in the coming days as we warm up. The unknown question is how much water will leave the snowpack and where it will go. Now is the time to make sure your property is prepared, you have a plan and are registered to receive emergency notifications.”

There are two things property owners can do NOW to minimize potential impacts of flooding in the coming weeks and months. 

Flood Insurance

Floods can happen anywhere – just one inch of floodwater can cause up to $25,000 in damage. But unfortunately, most homeowners’ insurance doesn’t cover flood damage. 

Flood insurance is a separate policy that can cover buildings, the contents in a building, or both. It is a crucial tool to protect your most important financial assets – your home, your business, your possessions. 

If you feel your property is at risk of flooding, you may want to consider flood insurance. You do not have to live in a floodplain to get flooding insurance – any homeowner in the county can purchase a policy.

Flood insurance has a 30-day waiting period for the policy to take effect, so you can’t wait until flooding is imminent to get a policy. It will be too late.

Contact your insurance agency for policy information. There are insurance products available through the National Flood Insurance Program, as well as private insurers. 

Find more information at www.floodsmart.gov or csimt.gov/your-insurance/flood/. 

Keep it Flowing

Now is the time to prepare your property in order to minimize the potential effects of flooding.

The most prevalent cause of localized flooding are obstructed waterways that block the flow of water and cause it to go where you don’t want it. Now is the time to make sure ditches, culverts and other waterways on your property are clear of debris so we can keep as much water in them as possible. This can help you AND your neighbors limit the impacts of flooding in your area.

Now is also the time to develop your plan on how you will protect your property if you are affected by flooding later this spring. Once flooding occurs, the damage is done. So developing your plan now, and implementing it early, is critical to minimizing damage.

More information on flooding is available here.

Stay Informed

Make sure you’re receiving timely and critical flooding information about your area by signing up for the Community Notification System. 

With this system, our citizens can receive targeted notifications with urgent information in the event of things like flooding, law enforcement incidents, severe weather, road closures, wildfires, and much more.

You can personalize how you get those notifications (text, call, email, etc.) and identify addresses you want to be notified about.

To register for free, or to get a little more information on how the Community Notification System works, visit our website.

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From the Park County Coroners Office:

Michael L. Rogel died in an incident when involved with Bozeman Police Department Officers on April 3, 2023. The incident occurred at 259 Greenmore Court in Bozeman.  Michael L. Rogel was 39 years of age and was a resident of Bozeman. The incident is under investigation by the Montana Department of Justice Criminal Investigation Division, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and the Park County Coroner’s Office.

Park County Coroners Office

Albert C. Jenkins, Coroner

414 E. Callender St.

Livingston, MT 59047

406-222-2050

PRESS RELEASE

Pioneer Mountain Rescue

On April 2, 2023 at 7:40pm Gallatin County Dispatch received a call from a snowmobiler who was stuck in the backcountry.  After hours of trying to get out the snowmobiler called 911.  The phone call placed them in the area of Pioneer Mountain near Big Sky.  The snowmobiler advised their feet were cold but were otherwise dressed for the weather.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue volunteers from the Big Sky Section gathered and responded from two different directions.  Both teams were on snowmobiles and one team was equipped with skis.  Volunteers were able to locate the snowmobiler close to the ping location.  The snowmobiler was found to be injury free, but very cold.  After starting a fire to warm them up, a plan was made to get the snowmobiler and the snowmobile out. All volunteers and the rescued snowmobiler were able to safely return to the trailhead.

Sheriff Springer would like to commend the snowmobiler for having a way to communicate when a problem arose but would also like to stress the importance of going with another person and staying with them when recreating in the backcountry.  Problems that suddenly occur may become greater if you are recreating in the backcountry alone. Having a friend to help if you are stuck, injured or lost is invaluable.

Photo courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

PRESS RELEASE

Bear Basin Rescue

On April 1, 2023, at 6:02 pm, Gallatin County Dispatch received a SOS notification from the International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) for a skier that was stranded and lost in the Bear Basin area. Their goal was to skin and backcountry ski into the Beehive Basin area, but the skier ran into equipment trouble and ended up needing assistance in Bear Basin.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Big Sky Section volunteers responded to assist. GCSSAR volunteers traveled via snowmobiles then transitioned to skis to meet the skier. The skier was ultimately escorted to the trailhead and transported back to their vehicle by a GCSO Deputy.

Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind winter recreationalist to be prepared for any situation and that equipment can fail. The skier had GPS device and a phone with downloaded maps. The phone and the charger for the phone died, and as a result, the skier initiated the SOS function on the GPS device.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

For immediate release: March 31, 2023

Media contact:
Eric Semerad, Gallatin County Clerk & Recorder and Election Administrator
406-582-3054
eric.semerad@gallatin.mt.gov

 

County Commissioners to Consider New Precinct Boundaries for Gallatin County

On Tuesday, April 4, the Gallatin County Commissioners will consider adopting new legislative precinct boundaries for Gallatin County. 

In February, the Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission adopted the final Legislative Districting Plan that drew new political boundaries in Montana. New congressional and legislative districts can be drawn every 10 years, using population data from the most recent U.S. Census.  

The Gallatin County Clerk and Recorder drafted a map with the new precinct boundaries that conform to that plan. The proposal increases the number of precincts in Gallatin County from 32 to 46. See the proposed precinct map here. 

The deadline for the county to finalize the new precinct map is April 10. 

Once adoption is finalized, the new precinct boundaries will become effective for all elections conducted after July 2023. 

Gallatin County commissioners will consider the resolution to adopt the map at their public meeting on Tuesday, April 4 at 9 AM in the community room at the Gallatin County Courthouse (311 W. Main St. in downtown Bozeman)

The public can provide comments by attending the April 4 public meeting, either in person or on Zoom. Find the full agenda and virtual attendance link here. 

Comments can also be emailed to commission@gallatin.mt.gov or dropped off at the Gallatin County Commission Office, located in room 306 of the Gallatin County Courthouse.

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For immediate release: March 31, 2023

Gallatin County Clerk of District Court’s Office Warns of Jury Duty Phone Scam

The Gallatin County Clerk of District Court’s Office and local law enforcement want to alert the public about a telephone scam occurring in our area.

The scammer calls pretending to be a deputy sheriff demanding payment for failure to comply with jury duty. The Clerk of District Court’s Office and law enforcement will never call jurors to demand payment for failure to report for jury duty or failure to respond to a summons for jury duty.

The callers can sound very convincing. This week, the Clerk of District Court’s Office was even mailed two pre-paid gift cards totaling $600 from a person who was scammed in this method.

If you receive a call like this, please alert law enforcement.

For any questions about jury duty with Gallatin County District Court, please call the clerk’s office at 406-582-2165 or visit the Clerk of District Court’s page at gallatin.mt.gov.

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PRESS RELEASE

Green Mountain Rescue

On March 28, 2023, at 4:00pm, Gallatin County dispatch received a call for a snowmobiler who was injured on Green Mountain near Jackson Creek Road.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue volunteers from the Valley Section and Heli Team, along with American Medical Response responded to the area of Jackson Creek Road and Stublar Road. GCSSAR deployed a hasty team of four snowmobilers to establish contact with the patient. Ground teams packaged the patient and coordinated with the Heli Team to extricate the patient off Green Mountain.  Ultimately, AMR transported the patient to Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center for further evaluation.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind recreationalists to be prepared for rapidly changing conditions. Sheriff Springer commends the patient for having multiple means of communication and being prepared for the weather.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

 

PRESS RELEASE

BUCK RIDGE SNOWMOBILE RESCUE

On March 28, 2023, at 12:09 pm, Gallatin County Dispatch received a call for a snowmobiler that sustained a leg injury from a tree strike on Buck Ridge Trail near mile marker 3.5.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Big Sky Sectionvolunteers and Big Sky Fire Department personnel responded to assist.   GCSSAR volunteers reached the patient by snowmobile. The patient was medically assessed on scene before being transported down the trail in a specialized rescue sled. The patient was transferred to a waiting Big Sky Fire ambulance and transported to the next level of care.

Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind winter recreationalist to be prepared for any situation. He commends the riders for having the ability to quickly communicate the emergency to get help on the way and encourages recreationalists to have a fully charged communication device in case of an emergency.

Photos courtesy of the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

For immediate release: March 27, 2023

Media contact:
Michelle Bossert, Human Resources Director
michelle.bossert@gallatin.mt.gov
406-582-3045

Gallatin County Teaming Up with Express Employment Professionals for Career Fair on March 30

Are you looking for a career that will allow you to make a difference in our community? Look no further than Gallatin County!

Your local government is again partnering with Express Employment Professionals to host a career fair on Thursday, March 30 at the Gallatin County Courthouse (311 W. Main St. in downtown Bozeman). The fair will run from 12-4 PM and include snacks, drinks, giveaways, and on-the-spot tours.

You can learn about all the rewarding career opportunities with your local government, as well as the incredible benefits that Gallatin County can offer its employees.

“In addition to the amazing health, vision and dental benefits our employees receive, we also offer things like paid parental leave, flexible work schedules, work-from-home options, tuition assistance, part-time and temporary work, and more,” said Michelle Bossert, Gallatin County Human Resources Director. “We are proud of the careers we have to offer and look forward to meeting potential applicants and showing them what working for Gallatin County is all about!”

Gallatin County offers a wide range of careers. Some of the current job openings include:

• 911 dispatcher
• Detention officer
• Detention Center booking clerk
• Detention Center nurses (CNA, LPN, LCPC/LCSW)
• Administrative clerk for the Motor Vehicle Department
• District Court clerk
• Administrative technician for Court Services

Job seekers can see all of our current job openings here.

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