Welcome to the Future of Public Safety in Flathead County
Location
Contact Info
Flathead County is committed to transparency and open communication throughout the construction process.
We encourage community member to reach out with any questions or concerns. Our goal is to ensure you have the information you need to make an informed decision and understand the full impact of this important project.
In November 2025, Flathead County voters approved a $105 million bond to construct a new Public Safety Facility to house the county jail and Sheriff's Department.
With public approval, the County began the next phase of a long-planned effort to address detention capacity, officer safety, and long-term infrastructure needs.
The current jail was built in 1987 for 63 inmates. Over the decades, Flathead County has grown significantly, while the facility has been stretched beyond its original design. Although temporary expansions increased bed counts, the building’s layout, aging infrastructure, and safety limitations cannot meet modern jail standards or long-term demand.
Where We Are Now
With voter approval secured, the County is actively:
- Finalizing architectural and design details
- Conducting value engineering to ensure thoughtful design decisions that balance functionality, durability, and budget
- Preparing for bond issuance and construction planning
- Establishing oversight and accountability measures
Construction timelines, financial updates, and key project milestones will be shared here as they develop.
Our Commitment
Flathead County has been saving for this project since 2017 and reduced projected construction costs through disciplined planning and value engineering.
The goal remains clear: deliver a facility that is functional, durable, and fiscally responsible—built to serve the public safety needs of Flathead County for generations to come.
This website will serve as the central source for accurate information, project documents, and progress updates.
We appreciate the trust placed in us by the voters of Flathead County and are committed to carrying this project forward with transparency and care.
Timeline
- 2017 → County began setting aside funds for project
- 2023 → Formal needs assessment completed (can be viewed with link in "Our Commitment" section
- 2024
- Purchased 115-acre site at 225 Snowline Lane for $3.9M
- Elevatus Architecture hired (Nov 2024)
- March 2025 → Martel hired for preconstruction
- Aug 7, 2025 → Commissioners passed resolution to place $105M bond on the November 4, 2025 ballot
- Nov 4, 2025 → Bond election passed
- FY 2026/2027 → Taxpayer impact begins
- Feb 2026 → The Board approved the bond issuance resolution, which is the official legal step that allows the county to begin the bond selling process.
- While the bond resolution was approved on February 12, 2026, the actual bond sales—where the debt is purchased by investors—are expected to take place in April 14, 2026. This timing is designed to have the cash on hand for the project's groundbreaking.
- March 2026 → Flathead County Board of Commissioners officially appointed In2itive Architecture as the Owner's Representative
- March 24, 2026 → Flathead County earns an AA+ credit rating from S&P Global Ratings for the voter-approved Public Safety Facility bond. Bond Rating Press Release
- April 14, 2026 → $95 million in bonds sell, fulling funding project
- June 2026 → Anticipated groundbreaking
- 2026–2028 → Estimated construction period (3 years)
- April 28, 2026 → Published notice of RFQ for Geotechnical Engineer
- May 7, 2026 → Signed contract with Martel to begin early ground stabilizing work
- May 22, 2026 → Awarded contract to Alpine Geotechnical for special inspections and testing
- June 11, 2026 → Finalized a Guaranteed Maximum Price contract with Martel Construction, coming in nearly 4% under initial budget projections
- July 13, 2026 → Begin site preparations