Gallatin Media Center

 

For immediate release: Oct. 7, 2024

Media contact:
Whitney Bermes, Gallatin County Communications Coordinator
406-595-8963
whitney.bermes@gallatin.mt.gov

Gallatin County Voters to Decide on Local Option Motor Vehicle Tax Increase This November 

This November, Gallatin County voters will decide on a proposed increase to the local option motor vehicle tax, which is applied when vehicles are registered. The current tax is set at 0.5%, and state law allows for an increase to as much as 0.7%. 

Currently, about 70% of the revenue from this tax supports Gallatin County operations with roughly 30% going to the county’s general fund, 30% going to the public safety fund, and 10 % going to road infrastructure. The remaining 30% of the revenue is distributed to the incorporated cities and towns based on population, allowing them to allocate funds according to their needs.  

Last fiscal year, the tax generated $11.26 million for our communities. If the rate had been 0.7%, an additional $4.5 million could have been collected.  

If approved, all of the county’s portion of the additional revenue from the increase would be dedicated to road infrastructure. 

The increase would ensure that those benefiting from county transportation infrastructure, including out-of-state vehicle registrants, contribute to its upkeep. The additional funds would be invested in safety improvements, capacity expansion, maintaining essential transportation infrastructure Gallatin County residents depend on daily. 

Commissioner Scott MacFarlane emphasized the importance of ensuring out-of-state vehicle registrations contribute fairly to the local transportation infrastructure: “Montana has become a hotspot for out-of-state vehicle registrations because it’s financially advantageous. Many of these vehicles are not regularly used here yet benefit from our services. This modest tax increase helps us capture some of that financial interest and direct it toward the infrastructure our residents rely on.” 

This tax increase would also address Gallatin County’s urgent transportation infrastructure needs, helping to keep pace with rapid development and the growing demands on our transportation system.  

“As Gallatin County continues to grow, it becomes harder for local governments to maintain and improve our transportation infrastructure,” said Gallatin County Commissioner Zach Brown. “Every bit of additional funding helps us meet these demands and ensure the county roads and bridges our residents rely on are safe and reliable.” 

Key projects prioritized by the county include upgrades to the Alaska Road corridor, improvements to intersections at East Cameron Bridge and East Valley Center roads, the Love Lane and Durston Road intersection, and Cottonwood Road corridor. 

Absentee ballots will be mailed out starting Oct. 11, and must be returned by 8 PM on Election Day, Nov. 5. Voters are reminded that late ballots postmarked by Election Day but received after 8 PM will not be counted. Due to a high volume of races and ballot issues, most Gallatin County voters will receive two separate sheets. It is important to return both sheets to assist the elections office in the reconciliation process. 

In-person voting will be available on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 7 AM to 8 PM at polling locations throughout Gallatin County.

For more voting information, visit www.GallatinVotes.com. 

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On 10/5/24 at 2:08 pm, Gallatin County Dispatch received a 911 call from a hunter just south of the Hidden Lakes complex who reported he was charged by a Grizzly bear and then was forced to climb a tree to find safety.  The hunter reported being charged by a sow grizzly bear with two cubs.  The hunter defended themself by shooting the bear with a pistol before climbing a tree.  The wounded bear remained in the area causing the hunter stay in the tree to wait for help.

A MT Fish Wildlife and Parks helicopter was dispatched to assist the hunter.  Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue teams in Big Sky mobilized and staged at key locations to respond to the hunter’s location if needed.  MT FWP personnel landed near the treed hunter and dispatched the wounded Grizzly.  The hunter was not injured during this encounter and was transported by helicopter to safety.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind hunters to remain observant of their surroundings when hunting big game in Montana’s backcountry.  Carry bear spray and hunt in groups if possible.  Avoid areas where bear sign is present and always have a communication device to call for help if something goes wrong.

 

         

 

For immediate release: October 2, 2024 

Media contact: 

Kirsten Smith, Gallatin Behavioral Health Coalition
406-570-0058
ksmith@bloomconsult.org 

 

Community Partners Unite to Launch Youth Behavioral Health Campus Near Bozeman
Partners Raising Money to Complete Project 

Community partners are joining forces to establish a dedicated campus where youth experiencing behavioral health crises can receive safe and effective services close to home. 

HRDC, Gallatin County, and the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR) of Billings are spearheading the acquisition and development of a youth behavioral health campus near Bozeman. This initiative focuses on providing crisis and residential services for youth ages 11 to 18 in Gallatin, Park and Madison counties. Phase 1 services will focus on crisis services designed to stabilize and assess youth, provide comprehensive support to them and their families, and connect them with the appropriate services and resources tailored to their needs. Over time, the vision is for the campus to grow in its service provision to support a continuum of high-acuity therapeutic services. 

“Gallatin County stands firmly behind this important project, and we hope that the community will join us to make this dream a reality,” said Gallatin County Commissioner Zach Brown. “Kids in crisis are too often left without any local treatment options. We must change that status quo. This partnership represents a generational opportunity for our community to invest in local crisis services for our kids.” 

The need for this initiative is pressing. Montana has the highest rate of suicide in the nation, with Gallatin County youth at particularly high risk. 14% of Gallatin County teenagers said they attempted suicide in the past year, and 21% have seriously considered it. In 2023, Bozeman Health’s emergency department treated 276 youth (0 to 17) for behavioral health concerns.  Among them, 105 were discharged to inpatient psychiatric units in Helena, Billings, Idaho Falls, or elsewhere. In the past three years, the Help Center received around 170 mental health crisis calls annually from youth, with about 75% of these callers screening positive for suicidality. 

Our current service system is inadequate to meet the growing need for child and adolescent behavioral health services. Cost-of-living challenges for our workforce in Gallatin County have resulted in the closure of all group homes and a lack of higher-acuity behavioral health services in the region.  

“Our children who face acute mental health challenges often find themselves in treatment environments designed for adults, separated from their families and communities,” said Christina Powell, Help Center CEO. “This campus offers a unique opportunity to create a truly child-centered space for healing, providing a comprehensive range of care and opportunities to reconnect with their vibrant selves.” 

To address this critical issue, the partner organizations seek to raise $5,050,000 to purchase, renovate, and launch programs at the former Bootstrap Ranch north of Bozeman. The 30-acre campus is located at 8977 Dry Creek Road features facilities to serve between eight and 26 children in higher acuity residential services in the first phase. It has space for staff housing, an activity building, gymnasium, cafeteria, commercial kitchen, barn and outbuildings.  

“We are creating transformative solutions to meet a vital need for our community’s kids and families,” said Kirsten Smith, coordinator of the Gallatin Behavioral Health Coalition (GBHC). “We can and must do better, and this project is the start. With the right team of leaders, we can make something remarkable possible, but it can only become a reality if donors and partners rally around this vision.” 

YBGR will operate the campus, with HRDC purchasing the property and will transfer it to YBGR once start-up funding is secured. HRDC closed on the property on August 30.  

“HRDC’s community needs assessments consistently highlight mental health services as one of our region’s biggest gaps,” said Heather Grenier, CEO of HRDC. “Youth mental health services are especially lacking. Buying and transferring property is something our organization does well, and it is a way we can help bring this youth campus to life.” 

Gallatin County has committed $1.5 million towards the $3.55 million purchase of the campus. Acquisition costs are estimated to be $250,000, renovation costs are estimated to be $650,000, and start-up programming costs for the first year of operations are estimated at $650,000. Partners are working to raise the remaining, most of which needs to be secured in the next several months.  

To donate to this vital project, visit the HRDC’s website.  

For more information on this and other behavioral health projects in Gallatin County, email Kirsten Smith at ksmith@bloomconsult.org.  

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On September 29, 2024, at 5:12 pm, Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue received an agency assist request from the Park County Sheriff’s Office. According to the Park County Sheriff’s Office, two climbers were stranded in technical terrain without the ability to ascend or descend near the summit of Mount Cowen. The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office was unable to launch a helicopter due to nightfall setting in. The Park County Sheriff’s Office worked with the Montana National Guard and US Air Force in an attempt to rescue the climbers, as overnight temps were going to dip into the teens.

Due to weather conditions, military assets were unable to complete the mission, and the climbers were forced to bivouac on the face overnight. The next morning the Park County Sheriff’s Office again requested the GCSSAR Heli Team. The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Heli Team and Central Helicopters were finally able to respond to the scene and inserted a rescuer by utilizing a short haul technique. Both climbers were put into rescue harnesses and short hauled to safety.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind those seeking outdoor opportunities this time of year to be prepared for any weather conditions including low overnight temperatures. Having the ability to contact help with cellular phones or satellite communication devices greatly increases the speed and efficiency of rescue efforts.

 

 

On September 29, 2024, at 3:43pm, Gallatin County 911 Dispatch was notified of an injured horseback rider on the Porcupine Creek Trail. The injured party had been bucked from a horse and suffered a major hip injury.

Volunteers from Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office SAR (GCSSAR), Big Sky Team, deployed in side-by-side OHVs to access the patient. Big Sky Fire Department (BSFD) medics teamed with GCSSAR to provide the highest level of medical care available in the backcountry. The patient was assessed, stabilized, transported to the trailhead, and then transferred into a waiting BSFD ambulance. A Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office Deputy stepped in to drive the ambulance to Big Sky Medical Center which allowed additional BSFD personnel to provide focused care. At BSMC, the patient was transferred to Life Flight Air Ambulance before ultimately being taken to Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center in Bozeman.

Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer would like to thank the partner public safety agencies who were quickly able to mobilize and form a team to provide excellent care to the injured party. Sheriff Springer would also like to thank the bystanders who helped provide information and assistance on this call. In Big Sky, no single entity has every necessary resource for an emergency like this; but by quickly combining staff, volunteers, and bystanders, the first responders in Big Sky were able to make sure the injured party received the best medical care possible.

 

For immediate release: Sept. 17, 2024

In the afternoon hours of Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, the Gallatin County Coroner’s Office along with the Bozeman Police Department investigated a fatal incident involving three individuals in a garage. The location was near the 3000 block of North 27th Avenue in Bozeman. Two females and a male were found deceased in a garage that contained a motor vehicle.

The decedents were identified as 29-year-old Tomas Rosales, 31-year-old Heidy Noj-Lopez, and 26-year-old Dora Perez-Cujcuj. All the decedents resided in Bozeman. Cause of death was determined to be acute carbon monoxide intoxication, and the manner is accidental.

Sheriff Dan Springer wishes to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Rosales, Noj-Lopez, and Perez-Cujcuj during this time.

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For immediate release: Sept. 16, 2024

In the early morning hours of Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, the Gallatin County Coroner’s Office along with Montana Highway Patrol and the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office investigated a fatal motor vehicle accident involving a single motor vehicle on Kelly Canyon Road in Bozeman.

A vehicle with four occupants was involved in a crash. Three of the individuals sustained serious injuries and were transported to Bozeman Health Regional Medical Center. One of the occupants was pronounced dead on scene.

The decedent was identified as 18-year-old Madison Montgomery-Lukenbill of Belgrade. Her cause of death was determined to be blunt force injuries, and the manner was ruled an accident. Alcohol and speed are suspected to be factors in the crash.

Sheriff dan Springer wishes to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Madison Montgomery-Lukenbill during this time.

We also appreciate the other agencies that responded to the incident, which included AMR, Fort Ellis Fire, and Central Valley Fire District.

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For immediate release: Sept. 9, 2024

On the morning of Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a call regarding an unresponsive infant at a business in Gallatin Gateway. The child’s mother called 911 reporting that her 6-month-old son was not breathing. Law enforcement and medical personnel responded to the location but despite their lifesaving efforts, the child was pronounced deceased. The Gallatin County Coroner’s Office was contacted and responded to the location.

The situation currently remains under investigation.

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For immediate release: Sept. 9, 2024

In the evening hours of Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, the Gallatin County Coroner’s Office along with the Bozeman Police Department, investigated a fatal motor vehicle accident between an SUV and a pedestrian that occurred near the area of South Third Avenue and Langohr Avenue in Bozeman. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.

The pedestrian was identified as 60-year-old Lynette Johnson of Bozeman. Cause of death was determined to be blunt force injuries.

Sheriff Dan Springer wishes to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Lynette Johnson during this time.

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For immediate release: Aug. 30, 2024

Media contact:
Meghan Hazer-Alvarez, Gallatin County Planning Department
406-582-
meghan.hazeralvarez@gallatin.mt.gov 

Upcoming Gallatin County Future Land Use Map & Housing Strategy Public Engagement  

Built on the vision and priorities for future land use established in the 2021 Growth Policy, Gallatin County is in the process of creating a Future Land Use Map (FLUM) and Housing Strategy to provide better guidance for growth and development and serve as the planning foundation for future regulatory reform. The initial round of outreach was completed in March 2024 and, using the results from this outreach, a draft FLUM and Housing Strategy has been completed. 

At these meetings, folks can meet the project team, explore the draft Future Land Use Map and Housing Strategy, and ask questions and provide feedback. 

All meetings are from 6-7:30 PM 

Monday, Sept. 9 – Bozeman  

Public Library Community Room
626 E. Main St. 

Tuesday, Sept. 10 – West Yellowstone 

Visitor Center
30 Yellowstone Ave 

Wednesday, Sept. 11 – Manhattan 

Gallatin Conservation District
120 S. Fifth St. 

Friday, Sept. 13 – Amsterdam Churchill 

Manhattan Bank
7175 Churchill Road 

Monday, Sept. 16 – Big Sky 

Big Sky Water & Sewer District
561 Little Coyote Rd. 

Tuesday, Sept. 17 – Belgrade 

Community Library
106 N Broadway 

 Thursday, Sept. 19 – Gallatin Gateway 

Community Center
145 Mill St. 

Wednesday, Sept. 25 – Virtual 

Zoom Link:  https://bit.ly/GLTN-VirtualMtg 
Meeting ID: 828 7470 4914
Call-in number: 1-719-359-4580   

For anyone unable to make the meetings, folks can visit the project website at Envision Gallatin to read more about the project, register for updates on project milestones, and review and comment on the draft FLUM and Housing Strategy. There is also a short survey. 

Questions, comments, and feedback can also be sent directly to the Planning Department by calling 406-582-3130 or by emailing the project team at envision@gallatin.mt.gov.  

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