Anaconda-Deer Lodge commissioners approve three local levy questions for voters

Anaconda-Deer Lodge County commissioners voted unanimously on March 10 to place three local levy questions on the primary election ballot to support senior services and Head Start.

The commission approved Resolution 26-09 to ask voters to authorize a 3-mill levy for operations of the Smelter City Senior Citizen Center; the motion was made by Commissioner Baudette and seconded by Commissioner Mike Beausoleil. Commissioners then approved Resolution 26-10, a separate 3-mill question to support food programming at the same center (motion by Commissioner Smith, second by Commissioner Baudette). The panel also unanimously passed Resolution 26-11 to place a 2-mill levy on the ballot to fund the county's Head Start program (motion by Commissioner Baudette, second by Commissioner Gates).

County staff and the election administrator said the levy language in each resolution was amended to reflect recent state law changes affecting ballot formatting. The county attorney told commissioners that Senate Bill 11 required a clearer yes/no presentation next to check boxes and that chief election staff would assign numerical codes to countywide mill levies; staff said the finalized language must be filed with the secretary of state by Monday.

No public opposition to the measures was recorded during the meeting. Commissioners did not provide roll-call vote tallies in the transcript; the meeting record shows the measures passed by unanimous voice vote.

What happens next: staff will finalize ballot wording to comply with the statutory format described by the county attorney and submit the approved language to the secretary of state as required. The items will appear on the primary ballot for voter decision.