Young sent a follow-up letter to Hill County Attorney Jessica Cole-Hodgkinson on March 6.

"There is no exception under the law permitting Ms. Brown to refuse to perform her duties because she is offended by Mr. Dion's personal memo," Young wrote.

Brown, the county treasurer, said on Monday that she didn't know where Dion's check was at, though it was last with the county attorney.

Cole-Hodgkinson, the county attorney, wouldn't comment on Dion's situation specifically, though she said there is no current civil or criminal case related to the check scuffle.

She said that, in general, the treasurer can't cash a check if it isn't clear "what you want the funds applied to."

Dion said that aside from the memo, the rest of the check was normal, signed and made out to the county.

Montana Department of Revenue spokeswoman Christie Magill said that the state conducts assessments, but the tax collection is largely left to county treasurers.

Dion said that the property tax check hasn't yet been cashed. He plans to go through his bank records and pull previous checks with memos that have been cashed.