Glacier County adopts satellite-office waiver to allow outside groups to use county rooms

Glacier County commissioners voted March 16 to adopt a waiver and liability form that governs outside organizations’ use of the county satellite office and commissioners’ chambers.

Crystal, the election administrator, said she drafted the waiver with assistance from the county’s purchased ChatGPT tool and cross-referenced Montana election law (MCA 13-35-226) with county legal staff. She told commissioners the form states "use of the Glacier County satellite office does not constitute endorsement, sponsorship, or promotion of the activity by Glacier County" and that the county would not provide staff support, event coordination or operational assistance for outside events.

Commissioners noted occasional informal uses of the satellite office by community groups, such as quilts presentation events to veterans, and agreed the waiver would clarify county liability and expectations. One commissioner said the county’s existing Glacier County Commission page invited many unrelated posts and that separate guidance and a formal waiver would help manage outside use.

A commissioner moved to adopt the Glacier County satellite office waiver and liability form; another commissioner seconded the motion and the board approved it by voice vote. The transcript records the motion, second and an "Aye," but individual roll-call votes are not recorded.

The adopted form includes a prohibition on suggesting county endorsement when political candidates or advocacy are involved. The county did not attach fees or a specific scheduling procedure in the discussion; commissioners said they would place the waiver on the next meeting agenda where needed for adoption at other locations. The motion’s implementation tasks—who fields requests and how scheduling is handled—were discussed informally but not assigned in detail during the meeting.