City looks to recoup COVID costs

The City of Whitefish has submitted a request for reimbursement from the state for about $688,000 in expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced in early June that local governments are eligible for reimbursement of certain expenses through the CARES Act funds received by the state.

City Manager Dana Smith said the amount requested covers the costs of remote work equipment, sanitation and cleaning supplies, cloth face coverings, public information through the city’s crisis communications team, and roughly three months of wages for police officers and firefighters.

“We hope to have confirmation of the total approved amount to be reimbursed before the final budget adoption in mid-August,” she said. “Once these funds are received, there are options on how we utilize the freed-up funds on hand.”

Smith anticipates recommending a mixture of uses for the funds, including a reduction in property taxes, eliminating the loan proposed to partially fund a new ambulance, and completion of the LED lighting project at the Emergency Services Center to save on operating costs of electricity and maintenance while meeting a goal of the city’s climate action plan.

She also expects to hold some of the funds in reserves since the city still faces the potential for high overtime costs if the police department or fire department have a confirmed case of COVID-19.