Montana Voters to Consider $105 Million Jail Bond in November
Photo: The new facility will address current deficiencies and ensure compliance with national and local standards while providing a safe and efficient environment for both staff and detainees. | Photo Credit: Flathead County
By Lindsey Coulter
KALISPELL, Mont. — Voters will decide the fate of the proposed Flathead County Detention Center in Kalispell on Nov. 4. The 78,000-square-foot facility, which opened in 1987 with a rated capacity of 63 inmates, has long been plagued by overcrowding despite a 2018 expansion. The fall municipal election ballot will include a 20-year bond for $105 million in construction funding toward the development of a new jail facility currently estimated at $130 million, an increase of approximately $80 million since the county explored new construction in 2018.
Mostly recently, the jail experienced a six-hour power outage as a result of a thunderstorm, forcing the facility to temporarily rely on battery-powered lamps, and recent inmate numbers have exceeded 150 despite the jail’s maximum safe operational capacity of 96.
Gov. Greg Gianforte has spoken in support of the bond and project, noting that a new detention center will improve public safety and improve staff morale.
“This campaign is about more than a building,” Gianforte said in a letter to local officials. “It is about one of the government’s most important obligations: to protect our communities.”
Flathead County leaders worked with Slate Architecture and several other detention, security and policy consultants to conduct a needs assessment on the existing jail facility in October 2023. The study concluded that, despite efforts to manage the growing population, the facility’s poor design, outdated systems, and limited space have led to inefficiencies and safety concerns. The jail no longer meets Montana Jail Standards or American Correctional Association guidelines, creating significant liability risks for the county. Critical issues include insufficient staff support, inadequate sightlines, and insufficient space for inmate needs, including mental health services and recreation.
The facility’s aging infrastructure, combined with its overcrowded conditions, has caused wear on vital systems, many of which are nearing the end of their useful life. A forecast study projects that by 2040, the county will need up to 200 detention beds to accommodate future growth. Expanding the current facility was deemed financially unfeasible due to space constraints and outdated systems.
Three options were considered to meet future detention needs: expanding the current facility, constructing a new detention center, and developing a new Law and Justice Center. The county selected the third option, which includes a detention facility designed for 184 rated beds, 220 operational beds and an emergency capacity of 256. This option also allows for future expansion.
The preferred layout for the new facility was developed after consultation with stakeholders and was chosen as the basis for the master plan. The new facility will address current deficiencies and ensure compliance with national and local standards while providing a safe and efficient environment for both staff and detainees.
Commissioners announced the selection of Elevatus Architecture in fall 2024 for programming and conceptual phases through the project up to construction and closeout, following the purchase of land for the project at a cost of $3.9 million in February 2024.