Culbertson moves forward on bathhouse after LWCF grant reduces levy need

Culbertson voters approved a levy to fund a new bathhouse and the town council has authorized design and bidding work to move the project forward.

The council reported on May 13 that the town’s LWCF (Land and Water Conservation Fund) grant application was approved for a $678,168 total project cost with up to $339,084 reimbursable. Clerk Terri Merrill told the council that, combining the LWCF award with funds already raised by the local Women’s Club, the town’s levy need on the June ballot would drop from the originally considered $750,000 to about $200,000. The council had earlier voted on Feb. 23 to place a $750,000 levy on the June ballot; after the grant news the town adjusted its planning assumptions.

At the June 10 meeting council members reported the bathhouse levy passed. The council then voted to approve a work order with WWC and Slate Architecture to prepare the design and construction documents necessary to solicit bids. Councilmembers emphasized options requested earlier during schematic review, including adding a family changing room and considering skylights or SotoTubes instead of polycarbonate side panels.

Council held multiple planning and review steps during 2024: schematics were revised in August to add family changing-room options and to discuss alcove versus four-wall designs; those technical questions were referred to engineer Jeremy Fadness for clarification before final bid documents. The council also confirmed that if the town elects to act as its own contractor it would be consistent with MCA 18-2-502; staff were to confirm whether federal grant conditions (LWCF) allow using town self-performance for federally funded work.

The next procedural step the council recorded was finalizing bid documents and releasing the bid package; civil design drawings were completed and forwarded for a bid package planned to go out by the end of January (per the clerk’s update). With design authorization and grant funding in place, council members said the town will proceed to competitive bidding and then to construction planning.

Action on the project was unanimous in council votes recorded in open session; the council noted community fundraising and grant funding together trimmed the levy burden on residents. The council’s stated next step is to solicit construction bids and report back to the public once bids are opened.