Government officials are holding another public meeting next week about the December storms that wreaked havoc in south Lincoln County.

It will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26 in the Ponderosa Room at Libby City Hall. 

The meeting is open to all community members. 

Montana and Lincoln County Disaster and Emergency Services as well as state and federal partners will be there to answer questions about recovery assistance and resources.

For those who cannot attend, participation is available through Microsoft Teams. You will have to register as this is set up as a public meeting.

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/26957173146680?p=Sf4fGltH95QjplZQI1 DW

The meeting ID is 269 571 731 466 80. The passcode is fJ9KM3bF.

Following massive and widespread flooding Dec. 11-12 in south Lincoln County and the failure of the Lower Flower Creek Diversion Dam, workers have removed more than 8,000 yards of sediment from the lower reservoir.

Multiple roads and bridges were washed out and the weather led Gov. Greg Gianforte to declare a State of Emergency.

Then, on Dec. 16-17, winds that approached speeds of 90 miles uprooted thousands of trees that damaged homes and property, blocked roads and caused power outages that affected tens of thousands of customers to nearly Christmas day.

Since then, damage assessments have exceeded $15 million.

Also, taxpayers now have until May 1, 2026, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. Following the disaster declaration issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in mid-December, individuals and households that reside or have a business in Lincoln and Sanders counties as well as the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, qualify for tax relief. 

A federal disaster declaration permits the IRS to postpone certain tax-filing and tax-payment deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster area. For instance, certain deadlines falling on or after Dec. 10, 2025, and before May 1, 2026, are granted additional time to file.