Columbia Falls meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Columbia Falls Council to weigh FY27 budget, tax levy; court dockets set

The Columbia Falls City Council met on Aug. 17 to consider a fiscal year 2027 budget, property tax levies, and special assessments, according to the agenda. Minutes have not yet been published, so no decisions have been reported. The agenda also included appointments and a new job description. Separately, the City Court published two hearing calendars covering late August through mid-September; these are procedural dockets with no policy actions.

FY27 budget, tax levy, and assessments

The Aug. 17 agenda included several resolutions and financial items:

• Resolution No. 1973: levying assessments for special improvement districts.
• Resolution No. 1974: redefining the Street Maintenance District area and assessment method.
• Resolution No. 1975: city property tax levy.

Dollar figures listed on the agenda:

• Street Maintenance District assessment: $382,016 (5.0% increase).
• Street Lighting District assessment: $30,049 (no change).
• Consent agenda claims: $639,742.16.
• Payroll claims: $156,765.09.

The council also planned to appoint a new council member and a volunteer firefighter, and to approve a new job description for a Legal Assistant/Compliance Coordinator. No vote tallies are available because minutes have not been published.

City Court hearing schedules

Two court calendars were published. The Aug. 13 calendar lists initial appearances for 20 defendants on Aug. 17, order to show cause hearings for more than 30 defendants on Aug. 18, an order of protection hearing (case CV-400-2026-0000008-OP) on Aug. 24, judge trials on Aug. 27 and Sep. 3, and jury confirmation hearings on Sep. 3.

The Aug. 20 calendar covers Aug. 24 through Sep. 17, including multiple initial appearances on Aug. 24 and Aug. 31 at 9:00 AM, the same order of protection hearing on Aug. 24 at 10:30 AM, sentencings on Aug. 26, Sep. 2, and Sep. 16 at 9:00 AM, jury trials and jury confirmation hearings on Sep. 3 at 9:00 AM, and omnibus hearings on Sep. 15 at 9:00 AM. These are scheduling entries only; no decisions or public discussions are listed.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days. The next City Council or other public meetings have not been announced in the provided data. Residents may check the city’s official channels for future agendas and minutes.

Columbia Falls Roundup: Budget Hearing, Council Vacancy Interviews, and August Court Calendar

City Council — July 20: Budget, Assessments, and Fee Schedule on Agenda

The City Council's July 20 meeting agenda included approval of claims totaling $965,811.78 and public hearings on the preliminary budget for fiscal year 2026-2027. Three assessment-related hearings were also scheduled: a Street Lighting District assessment of $30,049, a Street Maintenance District assessment of $382,016, and consideration of Resolution No. 1972, which would establish a city fee schedule.

Note: Minutes for this meeting have not yet been published. The items above reflect what was on the agenda; the roundup cannot confirm what was decided, how council members voted, or whether the hearings concluded. Readers should check the official City Council record for outcomes.

City Council — July 27: Candidate Interviews for Vacant Seat

A special session was scheduled for July 27 to interview four candidates for a vacant council position: Staci Bloomberg, Roger Hopkins, Elizabeth McBride, and Kaitlyn Seemiller. No other substantive business was on the agenda.

Note: Minutes for this session have not yet been published. The roundup cannot confirm which candidate, if any, was selected to fill the vacancy.

City Court — August Calendar

The Columbia Falls City Court of Record scheduled a series of proceedings for August 2026:

• **Initial appearances** for 17 individuals on August 3 and August 10.
• **Sentencing hearings** for multiple individuals on August 5, 10, and 26.
• **Jury trials** scheduled for 15 individuals on August 20.
• **Order to Show Cause hearings** for numerous individuals on August 18.
• **Judge trials** scheduled for August 6 and August 27.

This is a calendar of scheduled proceedings, not a record of outcomes.

What This Means for Residents

The July 20 agenda items — if approved — would set the city's spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year and determine special assessment amounts that property owners in the street lighting and maintenance districts would pay. The fee schedule resolution, if adopted, would establish what residents pay for various city services. The council vacancy interview process will determine who represents residents on the City Council going forward.

Because minutes have not been published for the July 20 or July 27 meetings, residents who want to know what was actually decided should consult the official city record or contact City Hall directly.

Coming Up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days (August 3–17, 2026) in the data provided to this roundup. Residents should check the City of Columbia Falls website or contact City Hall for any meetings added after this report was prepared.

Columbia Falls City Council set to adopt preliminary FY27 budget and special assessment rates July 20

Columbia Falls residents have a chance to weigh in on next year's city budget and special street district assessments at the July 20 City Council meeting, where public hearings are scheduled on the preliminary fiscal year 2027 budget and proposed assessment rates for street lighting and maintenance.

What's on the July 20 agenda

The City Council will consider approval of claims totaling $965,811.78 and take up Resolution No. 1972, which would establish a new city fee schedule. Two public hearings are scheduled:

• **Street Lighting District assessment** — proposed at $30,049.
• **Street Maintenance District assessment** — proposed at $382,016, which represents a 5.0% increase.

A public hearing on the preliminary budget for fiscal year 2026-2027 is also on the agenda.

Recent City Council meetings

Minutes have not yet been published for the July 6 and July 13 City Council meetings, so only agenda items are available.

The July 6 agenda included public hearings on the preliminary FY27 budget and proposed street district assessments, along with discussions on a new city fee schedule, staff wage schedules, and local resolutions. Items listed on that agenda:

• Street Maintenance District assessment estimated at $382,016 (5.0% increase)
• Street Lighting District assessment estimated at $30,049
• Resolution No. 1971 regarding the FY27 City Staff Wage Schedule
• Approval of claims totaling $153,065.87
• Approval of payroll claims totaling $214,890.72

The July 13 meeting was a preliminary budget workshop for FY27. Agenda topics included General Fund and Resort Tax expenditure priorities, a Capital Improvement Plan and Urban Renewal District Board workshop, and specific project figures:

• 2nd Ave E – Hillside Rehabilitation Project estimate of $75,000
• Proposed FY27 Resort Tax Public Safety appropriation of $889,631
• Proposed FY27 Resort Tax Infrastructure appropriation of $228,283

Because minutes are not yet available, it is not possible to confirm which items were decided, modified, or postponed at either meeting.

City Court calendar

The Columbia Falls City Court of Record has scheduled hearings through December 31, 2026. Upcoming dates of note:

• **Initial Appearance hearings** — July 20
• **Order to Show Cause hearings** — July 21
• **Compliance hearings** — July 20 and July 27
• **Omnibus hearings** — July 28
• **Sentencing hearings** — July 29
• **Judge Trial hearings** — August 3 and August 5
• **Jury Confirmation Hearings** — August 6

Court minutes have not yet been published, so these reflect scheduled proceedings only.

Coming up

• **July 20 — City Council:** Public hearings on the preliminary FY 2026-2027 budget, Street Lighting District assessment ($30,049), and Street Maintenance District assessment ($382,016). Council will also consider claims totaling $965,811.78 and Resolution No. 1972 on a new city fee schedule. This is the most consequential meeting on the immediate calendar for residents concerned about city spending and property-related assessments.

Columbia Falls Council Takes Up FY27 Budget, Street Assessments; Court Sets July Hearings

Columbia Falls residents saw a busy stretch of government activity in early July, with the City Council scheduling public hearings on the preliminary fiscal year 2027 budget and proposed street district assessments, while City Court set a full calendar of hearings through the end of the month. Minutes have not yet been published for the council's July 6 meeting, so the items below reflect what was on the agenda — not confirmed outcomes.

City Council: FY27 Budget, Assessments, and Wages

The City Council's July 6 agenda included public hearings on the preliminary FY27 budget and proposed street district assessments. The Street Maintenance District assessment was estimated at $382,016, representing a 5.0% increase. The Street Lighting District assessment was estimated at $30,049.

The agenda also listed Resolution No. 1971 regarding the FY27 City Staff Wage Schedule, approval of claims totaling $153,065.87, and approval of payroll claims totaling $214,890.72. Because minutes are not yet available, it is not confirmed whether these items were approved or deferred.

City Court: July Hearing Calendar

The Columbia Falls City Court of Record released hearing calendars on July 2 and July 9 covering proceedings throughout the month. Scheduled hearings include:

• Initial appearances on July 6, 8, 13, and 20
• Sentencing hearings on July 6, 8, 22, and 29
• Compliance hearings on July 6, 13, 20, and 27
• Omnibus hearings on July 14 and 28
• Order to Show Cause hearings on July 21 and 28

These are scheduling items only; the calendars do not indicate outcomes of individual cases.

Coming Up

July 13 — City Council FY27 Preliminary Budget Workshop. The Council will hold a workshop covering General Fund and Resort Tax expenditure priorities, the Capital Improvement Plan, and the Urban Renewal District Board. Specific items on the agenda include the 2nd Ave E – Hillside Rehabilitation Project, estimated at $75,000; a proposed FY27 Resort Tax Public Safety appropriation of $889,631; and a proposed FY27 Resort Tax Infrastructure appropriation of $228,283. This is a workshop, meaning items are scheduled for discussion rather than final action.

Residents interested in how the city plans to spend Resort Tax dollars and prioritize capital projects may want to attend or follow up on this session.

Columbia Falls City Court Releases July Hearing Schedule

The Columbia Falls City Court published a calendar of hearings for early to mid-July 2026 on July 2. The schedule lists initial appearances, sentencing, compliance, and other proceedings but does not include any decisions or votes, as no minutes have been released yet.

City Court Calendar Released

The City Court of Record will hold a series of hearings through July 2026. According to the agenda-only document, the court is set to handle initial appearances for multiple defendants on July 6 and July 8. Sentencing hearings are scheduled for July 6, 8, and 22. Compliance hearings will occur on July 6, 13, 20, and 27. Additional proceedings include omnibus hearings on July 14 and 28, and order to show cause hearings on July 21. No minutes from previous meetings are yet available, so no rulings or outcomes can be reported at this time.

Because the item is an agenda rather than a record of decisions, residents should note that it only indicates what the court plans to address. Actual outcomes will be known once minutes are published.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings of the Columbia Falls City Council or other public bodies have been listed in the agenda records for the next two weeks. Residents are advised to check the city’s official website for any newly posted notices.