BOZEMAN – The squabbling about who should pay for the maintenance completed last year in front of the Gallatin County Regional Park continues.
The battle between the two groups over this project has been going on for more than a year.
Frustration filled the air as the county made their case for why they don’t believe they should pay for close to half the project.
County commissioners don’t believe the benefit to the project, nor do they believe the project bid process was done legally.
On the city’s side, they said the county has had an obligation to pay for road improvements since they purchased the land 16 years ago.
Along with that, the deputy mayor stated they have dealt with more than 700 other road repairs the same way and to give the county a different rate would be unfair.
“It seems like we can’t get you to say yes for an answer,” Deputy Mayor Chris Mehl said. “I fully respect and think you should ask the questions and I am glad you did in March, but now we are just starting to repeat ourselves, and you can tell I’m frustrated.”
Gallatin County Commissioner Don Seifert said he didn’t believe the discussion accurately addressed the county’s questions. Because of that, he wants to continue to protest half of the cost.
“Again I want to repeat, we are not doing this in anger,” Seifert said. “We just want answers to the question, and I guess, in my opinion right now. I am willing to let our protest stand, and we will figure out another way to get answers. I am perfectly comfortable doing that.”
In the end, the discussion finished the same way it started with both parties in disagreement.
Seifert says if the city sends the county a bill, he would support a lawsuit against the city.
