Source: https://dojmt.gov/agooffice/attorney-generals-opinions/attorney-generals-opinions-1996/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 06:30:52+00:00

Document:
A city and a county may form a multijurisdictional library service district if they meet all statutory requirements, including that: (1) any existing contract for library services involving residents of one or more of the participating jurisdictions has lawfully expired; (2) any and all requirements of Mont. Code Ann. §§ 7-11-1101 to -1112 are met; and (3) any applicable requirements of Mont. Code Ann. §§ 15-10-401 to -412 are met.
A multijurisdictional service district may not be formed for the sole purpose of equalizing the tax burden among those currently using the service, but as long as the district provides services in the manner required by Mont. Code Ann. § 7-11-1101, it may also use a multijurisdictional service district to equalize the tax burden among those who use the service.
Mont. Code Ann. § 76-2-205(6) enlarges “protest rights” for freeholders whose property is classified for real property tax purposes as agricultural or forest land, where their combined title ownership represents 50 percent of the total property ownership within the proposed or revised zoning district. These enlarged protest rights supplement the protest rights provided to 40 percent of freeholders within the district whose names appear on the last-completed assessment roll.
The phrase “freeholders representing 50 percent of the titled property ownership” within Mont. Code Ann. § 76-2-205(6) requires that all owners of property held in joint or common ownership join in the protest for the area of the parcel to be included in the calculation of the protest area. Condominium owners or purchasers are entitled to have their proportionate share of the freehold interest in the land area of the particular development included in the calculation of the protest area.
The county is obligated to provide administrative support services which are reasonably necessary to allow the county attorney to perform the duties of the elective office.
The county attorney cannot compel the commissioners to authorize the hiring as a county employee of a legal secretary for the county attorney absent a showing that any other employment arrangement would prevent the county attorney from performing the minimum statutory duties of the job.
A county in Montana that offered library services prior to 1986 cannot form a new taxing unit and avoid the tax limitations of I-105 by establishing a public library pursuant to Mont. Code Ann. § 22-1-303, or by forming a multijurisdictional service district to provide library services pursuant to Mont. Code Ann. § 7-11-1105.
A county that has established a county free library pursuant to Mont. Code Ann. § 22-1-303 is authorized to contract directly with the board of trustees of the free public library of any incorporated city to assume all county library functions and to pay the sum agreed upon out of the county free library fund.

References: § 7
 § 76
 § 76
 § 22
 § 7
 § 22