Kalispell Social Security office to close amid government cuts

Mar. 8—Tony Rebich regularly stops into Kalispell’s Social Security Administration office.

After going deaf in one ear fighting in the Vietnam War and beating cancer twice, the 78-year-old from Kalispell said he finds it easier to reach the federal agency in person, where he can manage disability benefits he receives through the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

“It’s just handy coming in here,” he said, looking at the building he just exited that sits off U.S. 2 in Ashley Square.

But the office that he and other veterans, seniors and handicapped people lean on to receive their health benefits had its lease terminated as part of the Trump administration’s effort to reduce government spending.

The office is one of 10 federal buildings in Montana given the axe by the Department of Government Efficiency, which has come into the public eye for broad cuts to the federal workforce and squeezing the government’s scope.

Ranging from offices within the U.S. Department of Transportation to the Fish and Wildlife Service, the lease terminations in Montana resulted in about $1.8 million in savings and a reduction of the federal government’s office space by 74,345 square feet, according to DOGE’s website.

The named, “Wall of Receipts,” on DOGE’s online page lists thousands of contracts, grants and office leases terminated across the country by the organization that operates outside the scope of federal government. As of Friday, the site listed 10 government offices in Montana that will not have their leases renewed, which are as follows:

The closure of the Social Security Administration’s Missoula Office would result in around $262,922 in savings. The Shelby Border Patrol facility’s closure would mean $363,559 in savings. Closing the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Flathead Agency in Pablo would mean $10,418 in savings. The federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration office in Helena, part of the U.S. Department of the Transportation, would save $39,248 if closed. The closure of the Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge office, established under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, would save $21,021. The closure of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in Billings, established under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, would save $65,258. Closing the Missoula office of Natural Resources Conservation Service would save $275,892. Ending the lease for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Bozeman saves $241,265. The closure of the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, established under the U.S. Geological Survey, would save $369,838.

Kalispell’s Social Security Administration office is 7,699 square feet and costs $151,400 a year to lease, according to DOGE, which said that the lessor and customer were notified and that the termination details are still being finalized.

A March 3 press release from the Social Security Administration announced it terminated 60 leases with help from the General Services Administration, resulting in $4 million in annual rent savings once those terminations are complete.

A Social Security Administration spokesperson told the Inter Lake that most of the leases not being renewed are for small remote hearing sites that are co-located with other federal space. The office in Kalispell does share a building with the Montana Motor Vehicle Division field office.

“As the majority of our hearings are held virtually, we no longer need as many in-person hearings locations,” the statement read.

The General Services Administration, which is responsible for managing the basic functions of government agencies, including office space, told the Inter Lake in a statement that the agency is looking for alternative office space, but did not specify where that would be.

“A component of our space consolidation plan will be the termination of many soft term leases. To the extent these terminations affect public facing facilities and/or existing tenants, we are working with our agency partners to secure suitable alternative space,” read the statement.

Rebich, who receives 300% disabilities services through the Department of Veteran Affairs, said he doesn’t know what he’ll do when the office closes, as he is often met with hours-long wait times when calling over the phone, which also proves difficult with hearing loss.

While Rebich approved of DOGE’s effort to crack down on reckless government spending, he said that the city’s Social Security Administration office should not be placed under that umbrella.

“I don’t think anybody that is doing these cuts is coming and talking to the people themselves. They are just doing what they think is right like closing these offices,” he said. “You’re just going to cause trouble for older people and handicapped people.”

Veteran Affairs and Social Security, which both administer programs that pay disability benefits, have also announced plans to cut thousands from their workforces.

“Paying for empty buildings is not in the best interest of Montana taxpayers,” Heather Swift, chief of staff for Congressman Ryan Zinke, told the Inter Lake. “If a federal agency is renting a building that is larger than it needs, then finding more affordable office space that fits the public’s needs and still delivers the public service is a prudent cost-saving measure.”

Gabby Wiggins, Deputy Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Steve Daines told the Inter Lake, “Daines is working closely with the appropriate agencies to ensure critical services for Montanans are uninterrupted as President Trump works to reduce waste within the federal government.”

“Senator [Tim] Sheehy is in touch with the relevant federal agencies on this issue,” read a statement from Sheehy’s office. “As the administration works to rein in spending and deliver government services more efficiently, Senator Sheehy is committed to working with our federal partners to ensure cuts are targeted responsibly and the critical frontline resources Montanans rely on are protected.”

After reaching out with questions regarding the Missoula NRCS office closure, a U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson said, “Secretary [Brooke] Rollins fully supports President Trump’s directive to eliminate wasteful spending and ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively. USDA is optimizing building capacity and consolidating underutilized offices to reduce inefficiencies while continuing to prioritize frontline services for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.”

The Inter Lake reached out to every other Montana office listed as having its lease terminated, but did not receive any responses before press time.

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@dailyinterlake.com.