EBS STAFF
GALLATIN COUNTY – Gallatin County voters on Nov. 2 passed a $29 million bond issue to fund a new county courts facility. The bond issue, which was the only item on Big Sky voters’ ballots, passed with an approximately 55 percent majority according to unofficial election results as of EBS press time.
The bond will fund the design, construction and furnishing of a new county courts facility and will cost property owners $6.70 per year for every $100,000 of the property’s assessed value. For a property with an assessed value of $500,000, this equates to $33.50 per year.
After voters rejected higher-dollar versions of the bond request twice, the county worked to trim the ask before bringing to the electorate a third time.
“We’re breathing a huge sigh of relief and gratitude today because we didn’t have a good plan B and we were going to be in a really difficult position figuring out how to move forward without that voter support,” said Gallatin County Commissioner Zach Brown.
Now that the bond has passed the county will put out a request for bids in early 2022, Brown said, with the goal to break ground next spring.
