JDC director retires, county interviewing candidates

Posted on June 16, 2025 by Jenn Rowell

After three decades, Shanna Bulik-Chism retired as director of the Cascade County Juvenile Detention Center at the end of May.

County Commissioners will be interviewing three candidates on June 17 for the position.

“Those are tough shoes to fill,” Commissioner Joe Briggs told The Electric of Bulik-Chism’s retirement.

In the meantime, Briggs said that her duties have been split between two of her senior administrative people per her suggestion.

County approves design contract for new JDC gym

He said they’re hopeful to fill her position permanently within a reasonable time frame.

The county JDC is a 24-bed, long-term facility that provides a safe, secure environment for criminally charged youth, ages 10-18.

Detention services are primarily provided to the North Central Region:

Blaine
Broadwater
Cascade
Chouteau
Glacier
Hill
Lewis and Clark
Liberty Counties
Phillips
Pondera
Teton
Toole

The Center also provides detention services to counties outside the region, as well as the Montana Department of Corrections, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Marshals.

County compensation board votes for no increases for elected officials

The county has a $3 million contract with the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs to hold their juveniles and the new contract hasn’t yet been signed, due to various changes at the federal level, Briggs told the county compensation board on June 11.

That delay has caused the county to put a hold on the new gymnasium planned for the JDC, which would next go to bid.

In May 2024, commissioners approved a $243,000 contract to BSpark, a local architectural firm, for design services for the new JDC gym.

County approves funds for capital projects [2023]

The project will be funded using $1.5 million of the JDC’s departmental reserves and a $1.5 million state loan.

The JDC is located at 1600 26th St. S. and the gym will be used to help keep juveniles active while they’re in the center and it can be used for overflow capacity when needed, according to county officials.

In December 2023, commissioners discussed the gym project during a special meeting to allocate funding to capital improvement projects.

Commissioners had previously authorized a geotechnical survey of the site before moving forward with construction.

Bulik-Chism, JDC director, told commissioners during the December 2023 meeting that the gym would allow space for indoor fitness activities, other small group activities and overflow capacity.

County approves $13.3 million in ARPA allocations [2022]

Her department has put $1.5 million in to reserves in anticipation of the project and commissioners approved applying for a $1.5 million intercap loan through the Montana Board of Investments to finance the rest of the project with her budget taking on the loan’s debt service.

The county has used the MBOI loans for other major projects, including the county courthouse roof and the new grandstands at Montana Expo Park.

County approves projects for juvenile, adult detention centers [2019]

Les Payne, county public works director, told commissioners in December 2023 that the TD&H did the geotechnical survey and determined the project could be done and make recommendations for the foundation type.