Valley County sets sheriff fees, daily jail rate, fire season and mileage reimbursement

The Valley County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 7 unanimously approved four routine resolutions that set fees and administrative rates for 2026.

Commissioner John Fahlgren moved to adopt Resolution 1-2026, which establishes fees for sheriff services for calendar year 2026, citing Montana Code Annotated §7-4-2525 and the sheriff service provisions in §7-32-2141; Commissioner Jeff Alsberg seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The resolution sets uniform fees such as $75 for service of a summons or subpoena and $1.00 per page for copy requests (first 10 pages), among other listed charges.

The board next approved Resolution 2-2026 to set the daily incarceration rate at $80.00 per day for both male and female inmates, consistent with Montana Code Annotated §46-18-403. The resolution notes that medical costs remain the inmate’s responsibility and that the county attorney may pursue collection for medical charges when appropriate.

Commissioners also adopted Resolution 3-2026, establishing a county fire season for 2026 running Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2026. During the declared season, open burning within the county protection area requires a permit from the Valley County Sheriff or the dispatch office; the resolution cites the relevant statutory authority and notes violations may be prosecuted under the cited statute.

Finally, the board approved Resolution 4-2026 to update the county mileage reimbursement to match the Internal Revenue Service rate of 72.5¢ per mile effective Jan. 1, 2026. The resolution also notes county vehicles remain available for authorized travel.

All four motions were recorded as passing unanimously. The resolutions take effect on the dates stated within each document.