WALLACE – The Shoshone County commissioners have approved up to $2,000 in legal fees related to the upcoming base levy override election. 

The funds will go to Hawley Troxell Attorneys and Counselors, the law firm that worked with Shoshone County Sheriff Holly Lindsey on the proposed levy, which was approved by the commissioners in late August. 

During Thursday’s meeting, the commissioners approved a letter of engagement contract with the firm, despite much of the legal work already being completed. 

Lindsey said that in a previous conversation with attorney Danielle Quade, she was told the firm’s involvement would not exceed $2,000. That prompted Commissioner Dave Dose to make a motion to approve the contract with an addendum: if costs exceed the approved amount, Lindsey must return to the board to explain the overage and seek additional approval before any more funds are spent. 

Hawley Troxell assisted the county in preparing the original ordinance calling for the levy, the ballot language, and the election notice. 

Before the vote, Commissioner Jeff Zimmerman met with Shoshone County Prosecutor Ben Allen to review the contract and determine whether the county faced any liability since the work began prior to formal approval. 

“It should have come to us first,” Zimmerman said. “We would say it was OK to seek legal counsel. But the cart was put before the horse, so I wanted to make sure the BOCC was protected.” 

Lindsey said the firm will provide a final statement for the county after the Nov. 4 election. 

The levy was a last-minute idea from Lindsey and Dose, after it became clear that the SCSO budget was going to be severely underfunded in the county’s annual budget and faced major cuts. Should the levy fail, the SCSO would still face these cuts, which include a reduction in personnel and services. 

The proposed levy would generate $1 million annually for two years beginning in 2026. It would cost taxpayers $41.61 per $100,000 of assessed property value. The levy aims to address budget shortfalls at the state and federal levels and cover the rising costs of state-mandated services. 

The measure has faced public opposition, including a pending civil lawsuit seeking to block the election.