Overview: Clerk & Recorder and Elections

Pauly B. Miller, the Clerk and Recorder/Assessor/Election Administrator, serves as the ex-officio clerk of the county commissioners, ex-officio recorder, registrar for Blaine County, ex-officio election administrator and the administrator of the county budget and oversees five-county department

  • Accounts Payable
  • Records
  • Elections
  • Payroll

Savannah Wendeln, the Election Manager, is responsible for the administration of federal, state, county, city and special district elections in Blaine County according to federal and state election laws. The Election Department also assists in elections for school districts within Blaine County. Additional activities include deputy registrar and election judge training, petition drive signature verification, absentee vote processing and voter registration. Our Election Department maintains the voters’ registration files for approximately 4,000 voters in eight precincts in Blaine County. Maps of the boundaries are available in the Clerk and Recorder’s Office. Approximately 40 temporary election judges are needed to work each election.

What Does the Clerk & Recorder File? 

Some of the documents that are recorded and filed for example are: 

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Deeds

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Mortgages

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Powers of Attorney

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Military Discharges

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Oil & Gas Leases

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Liens

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Certificates of Surveys & Subdivision Plats

Additional Filings Handled by the Clerk & Recorder

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Birth & Death Certificates

Certified and informational copies of birth and death certificates may be obtained from this office. 

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Accounts Payable

Personnel and accounts payable are handled in this office. Most records are public record, but some are confidential. 

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Elections

Federal, state, county and city elections are handled by this office.

Blaine County Clerk & Recorder

Pauly B. Miller  

pbmiller@blainecounty-mt.gov

Blaine County Election Manager

Savannah Wendeln 

swendeln@blainecounty-mt.gov

Blaine County Clerk

Open until filled

 

Blaine County Deputy Clerk & Recorder

Blaine County Clerk

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

Elections

elections@blainecounty-mt.gov

Phone: 406-357-4022

Fax number: 406-357-2199

Mailing Address

PO Box 278
Chinook, MT 59523

Office Address

420 Ohio Street
Chinook, MT 59523

OVERVIEW: ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

The Accounts Payable Department (AP) is responsible for paying all county-related invoices to vendors which include supplies, contracts, services rendered, credit card purchases, and other state agencies. AP is also responsible for 1099’s, updating/maintaining direct deposit (EFT) information and new/existing vendor information for the Department of Administration.

The Clerk & Recorder is also responsible for receiving payments made to Blaine County including cash, checks, wires and payments from other state, local, federal agencies, and private parties. The Clerk & Recorder also prepares the financial statements and supplemental reports in accordance with governmental accounting and financial reporting standards.

Blaine County accounts payable department (AP) is responsible for paying all county related invoices to vendors which include supplies, contracts, services rendered, credit card purchases, and other state agency fees. AP is also responsible for 1099’s, in order for Accounts Payable to process payments, a current W-9 form is required.

The Payroll Department is responsible for employee compensation, benefits, wellness, and workers compensation. To contact the Payroll Department, call (406) 357-3240

The Ambulance Billing Department is responsible for invoicing for all three rural ambulance services, as well as, receiving all payments made to the Blaine County Ambulance services including cash, checks, wires and payments from other insurance companies and private parties. To contact the Ambulance Billing Department, call (406) 357-3280

To contact the Accounts Payable Department, call (406) 357-3240 or email accountspayable@blainecounty-mt.gov.

overview: PUBLIC RECORDS SEARCH

The Clerk and Recorders Office is responsible for the recording, scanning, and indexing of deeds, mortgages, surveys, mining work, resolutions, military discharges, and many other various documents. The Department also files birth and death records, federal tax liens, notices of action, attachments, judgments, executions, and other miscellaneous documents.

Filing costs are $5.00 per document.

Recording costs are:

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Conforming documents are $8.00 per page

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Non-conforming documents are $8.00 per page, plus $10.00

To contact the Records Department, call (406)357-3240

Search of Public Records

Documents recorded or filed since 1973 have been automated and are easily accessed by computers and are available at the second-floor lobby of the Blaine County Courthouse in Chinook. Conversion of the older records is an ongoing effort.

Birth and Death Records

Birth and death records on file for Blaine County may date back to the early 1900’s. The current State system enables all counties to issue State birth certificates since 1921 and death certificates since 2003, with continuing updates. The present county costs for a certified birth record are $8.00 and certified death records are $7.00, with genealogical copies $1.00 each.

Please print out the form below, follow the directions on the forms and return it to our office with the appropriate fee.

Birth Certificate Order Form

Death Certificate Order Form

To mail requests to Blaine County use the following address:

Blaine County Clerk & Recorder 
PO Box 278
Chinook, Montana 59523

Property Appraisal

overview: Appraisal / Property Assessment Dept.

The local Appraisal / Property Assessment Office is responsible for:

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Maintenance of the Montana Ownership Database for Blaine County

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Appraisal and assessment of property

The Department of Revenue also maintains a digital GIS land ownership map database for the entire state. Interactive maps and descriptive data are available on this site for each parcel of land. Visit their website.

Visit the State of Montana Revenue Office website.

Property Appraisal Contact Info

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Hours of Operation

Monday-Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Phone

If you are traveling quite a distance it may be to your advantage to call ahead to (406) 265-5481.

Subdivision Planning

OVERVIEW: Subdivision Planning

If you plan on subdividing a part of any property. The Blaine County Sanitarian and the Blaine County Planner should be contacted for approval of any instrument of transfer prior to filing. Depending upon the circumstances involved, a survey may be required, approval by the Blaine County Commissioners may be required, or approval by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality may be required. Subdivisions creating lots with existing structures or lots for potential building sites typically take several months for approval and most often require the assistance of a consultant. Subdivisions in floodplains are prohibited.  NOTE: You will be invoiced for any communication you have with WWC. 

SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS 2017

Subdivision Review Process

Blaine County Contract Planner

Jeremy Fadness, P.E.
jfadness@wwcengineering.com

Blaine County Contract Examining Land Surveyor

Dave Collins, P.L.S.
dcollins@wwcengineering.com

Floodplain MAnagement

Mailing Address

1275 Maple St. Suite F

Helena, MT 59601

(406) 433-3962

Blaine County Contract Floodplain Manager

Shawn Higley

Phone: (406) 443-3962
shigley@wwcengineering.com

OVERVIEW: Floodplain Management

Much of Blaine County, including parts of Chinook, is in the floodplain and a floodplain permit is required prior to building in the floodplain. Building without a permit may result in costly reconstruction and/or extremely high flood insurance rates. If built in the floodway the building must be removed. Septic systems are prohibited in the floodplain. Unless the building can be connected to a community wastewater system, or the sewage can be pumped out of the floodplain, no building requiring water and sewage facilities can be built in the floodplain. Contact WWC Engineering for more information on wastewater systems.  NOTE: You will be charged for any communication you have with WWC.

 

Blaine County Elections

The Blaine County elections are managed by Savannah Wendeln.  The Elections Department is responsible for the administration of federal, state, county, city and special district elections in Blaine County according to federal and state election laws. The Department also assists in elections for school districts. Additional activities include candidate filing, deputy registrar and election judge training, petition drive signature verification, absentee vote processing and voter registration. Our Election Department maintains the voters’ registration files for approximately 4,000 voters in eight precincts in Blaine County. Maps of the boundaries are available in the Clerk and Recorder’s Office. Approximately 40 temporary election judges are needed to work each election.

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Blaine County Election Website

Elections

elections@blainecounty-mt.gov

Phone: 406-357-4022

Fax number: 406-357-2199

Mailing Address

PO Box 278
Chinook, MT 59523

Office Address

420 Ohio Street
Chinook, MT 59523

Clerk & Recorder Forms

Forms and documents:

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Birth Certificate

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Death Certificate

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Document Standards

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Fee Schedule 2023

Our Office

Blaine County Courthouse
420 Ohio St
Chinook, MT 59523

Office Hours

Mon-Fri: 8am - 5pm
Sat-Sun: Closed

Bio coming soon.

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Deputy Chris Adair has been with the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office since August of 2012. Since then he has become the Field Training Officer, Firearms Instructor, Armorer, Deputy Coroner, and the Senior Operator for Blaine County’s breath alcohol testing equipment. He also is the DUI Task Force Coordinator. He lives in Chinook with his wife and 2 sons. Previous to living here they were residents of Flathead County.

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John Colby started his career in Law Enforcement with the Blaine County Sheriff's Department in 1996 as a Detention Officer/Dispatcher. In 1998 he began working with the Harlem Police Department where he served as a patrolman and later as the Chief of Police. In 2001 Harlem consolidated its law enforcement with the Blaine County Sheriff's Department and John Colby remained as a Deputy Sheriff. In 2002 John accepted a job with the Williston Police Department and served as a patrolman and later as a senior patrolman. In 2007 John left the Williston Police Department and went to work for Dyn-Corp in Konduz Afghanistan training the Afghanistan Nation Police. In March 2010 John was returned to Chinook and accepted a position as a Deputy Sheriff with the Blaine County Sheriff's Department. John was promoted to the Lieutenant of the Blaine County Sheriff's Department in 2012. John is one of the Taser Instructor's, Field Training Officer, K9 Handler, and was recently assigned to the Tri-Agency Drug Task Force. John and his wife Dawn have two children JJ, and Aspyn.

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Bio coming soon

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Bio coming soon

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Bio coming soon

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Bio coming soon

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Robo joined the Blaine County Sheriff's Office in October of 2013. He resides with his handler Sheriff John Colby.

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Deputy Levi Gonzalez joined the Blaine County Sheriff's Department in January 2018. Levi studied Criminal Justice at Utah Valley University and Excelled in courses such as Criminal Justice, Forensics, and Criminal Law. Along with some formal education, he has trained with professional firearms instructors, and in hand-to-hand combat, to help him pursue his career in law enforcement. He moved to Montana with his wife in March of 2013 and owns a small ranch in Blaine County where he runs a small cow/calf operation. He looks forward to serving Blaine County, where he is happy to call home, with his wife, daughter and son, for many years to come.

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