Special election: Evergreen Fire levy approved; Big Mountain resort tax gains support
Engine 831 at Evergreen Fire Rescue Station 81 on Tuesday, April 2. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Evergreen voters on Tuesday approved a permanent levy to fund Evergreen Fire and Rescue.
The levy is expected to net $2.55 million in its first year, and would allow the department to field six personnel at all times, grant moderate wage and benefit increases to employees, and allow the agency to simultaneously respond to multiple calls, fire officials said.
Evergreen voters supported the measure with 1,477 ballots in favor and 1,166 against.
"With this vote, we can now achieve adequate operational staffing to ensure a safer working environment and deliver improved services to the community that we’ve sworn to protect," Evergreen Fire and Rescue Chief Craig Williams said.
The levy results in an annual tax increase of about $104.86 — or about $8.74 per month — on a home valued at $100,000.
Williams acknowledged that recent increases in property taxes and inflation have strained household budgets, and he thanked the community for supporting the levy request.
"We do not take this decision lightly, and fully understand the responsibility granted to us by the taxpayers," Williams added.
On Big Mountain, voters overwhelmingly supported the creation of a Big Mountain Fire District Resort Area.
A newly formed resort tax board will create a plan for how the resort tax revenue will be distributed that will be voted on during another election.
The maximum rate for the tax is 3%. The tax is typically collected on “luxury” retail sales, lodging, at restaurants and for prepared food and alcoholic beverages.
State law requires a portion of resort tax collections to go toward property tax relief in the area of collection. Those behind putting the resort tax area on the ballot have suggested that funds be largely directed toward the Big Mountain Fire District and other infrastructure needs on Big Mountain.
Montana allows for a resort tax to be collected in communities and resort areas that meet specific criteria.
Following are special election results from Tuesday, May 7, 2024:
Hungry Horse Water and Sewer District
Vote for 3
Vivian Allen 18
Tom Blakney 43
Jamie Foster 75
Dan Stahlberg 52
Douglas Wagner 70
Total 258
Lakeside Water and Sewer District
Vote for 3
David Cordell 219
James Heim 317
Marc Liechti 189
Don Smith 171
Write-ins 11
Total 907
Somers Water and Sewer District
Vote for 5
Jonathan Tetter-Vorm 64
Margery Fox 68
Duane Howell 58
Jake Nash 64
Karen Vosgien-Rhodes 49
Leslie West 81
Total 392
Big Mountain Resort Area
Vote for 5
Catherine Andrews 49
Ronald Benton 55
Jay Johnston 51
Stephen Shea 54
Diana Tague 50
Total 260
Kalispell City Council Ward 1
Vote for 1
Kari Sue Gabriel 654
Wes Walker 451
Write-in 3
Total 1,108
Kalispell City Council Ward 2
Vote for 1
Gabriel Dillon 572
Sam Nunnally 736
Write-in 12
Total 1,320
Evergreen Fire District levy
For 1,477
Against 1,166
Total 2,643
Big Mountain Resort Tax
Yes 59
No 10
Total 69