10/09/2026
Dear Voters, October 9, 2026
This election cycle, McCone County residents will have the opportunity to vote to retain or reject the Special 911 Mill Levy for the Operation of 911 Dispatch Services. In 2017, voters approved the current 5-year levy and re-approved it in 2022. The wording on the ballot says “additional” but this is not an increase, and it is not an addition to the current levy. Voters will be choosing to retain or reject the five-year tax levy that currently generates $130,000.00 each year for emergency 911 dispatch service. It is used to primarily pay a significant portion of our dispatcher’s salaries.
The original amount of $32,000 a year was approved by the voters of McCone County in 1996, and then again as permanent by another majority vote November 3, 1998. It was then increased from $32,000 to $130,000 in May 2017 when voters again chose to support McCone County 911 by a majority vote of 74%. Besides the $130,000.00, the 911 center is also funded by the Town of Circle and the State E911 allotments. The Town of Circle pays $32,000.00 a year and the State E911 quarterly allotments are roughly $30,000.00 every three months.
Ensuring a stable, locally managed 911 dispatch center is critical for community safety, as local dispatchers bring familiarity with the area and the local people that a consolidated center may lack. If this levy doesn’t pass, we wouldn’t be able to keep the McCone County Dispatch Center operational for more than a few years.
Reliable county jobs with benefits keep families rooted in the area. When a county pays a regional center outside its borders, that tax money leaves the community forever. By keeping jobs local, every dollar paid to a dispatcher turns into revenue for another local citizen or business.
Because this ballot measure is a continuation rather than a new tax, it maintains existing funding without increasing current property tax burdens while directly addressing core operational needs:
Funding a significant portion of salaries helps guarantee our dispatchers continue to have employment in McCone County and that money stays in McCone County.
Sustaining local funding prevents budgetary shortfalls that could otherwise force cuts, consolidation, or a loss of local control over emergency dispatch services.
Keeping the center local minimizes transfer times and keeps communication tightly integrated with local law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services. Many times, our dispatchers are able to connect faces to names and names to places, providing a level of safety.
In 2025, there were 3830 calls to our center. There were 547 calls to 911, and 3283 additional administrative calls that were handled by McCone County 911 Dispatchers. Our dispatchers also handle walk-in complaints; maintain radio communication with officers, fire, and ambulance; administer court ordered breathalyzer testing; process s*x and violent offender registrations, enter and follow-up warrants, orders of protection, and stolen items in the state Criminal Justice Information Network and our local records system; issue burn permits; monitor controlled burns; process concealed weapon permits; issue dog tags, control the key check-out for community buildings & city water; monitor city sewer & local building alarms; issue livestock market permits; and process civil papers for service.
Giving 911 to those unfamiliar with our people and our county would create a greater potential for lines of communication to be broken.
At the reduced homestead tax rate, the fiscal impact on a home having a market value of $150,000 is $17.32 at $250,000.00 is $28.86, and $350,000 is $40.41. If this levy is retained, it will go into effect for the 2028 Fiscal Year.
Please make your voice heard by voting during the election. Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. Our email is: [email protected] or call 406-485-3405. You can also reach out to the commissioners; they meet most Mondays in October. Their meetings are always open to the public or may call them at: 406-485-3500.
Sincerely,
Paul Skyberg, McCone County Sheriff
Virginia Richardson, McCone County 911 Coordinator
